Nearly two dozen schools across Delaware will split $400,000 in funding to start professional learning programs for their teaching staff.
Three years ago, the state Department of Education began working with local educators to evaluate their approaches in relation to Common Core standards. This effort to help close achievement gaps was known as the Common Ground program.
The new initiative, called Reimagining Professional Learning, will build on those efforts. Each school will design a program tailored to its specific needs.
State Secretary of Education Steven Godowsky hopes to see this program succeed.
“The 21 schools that are going to pilot this will lead the way. Eventually and hopefully, this is this will be the way we deliver professional learning statewide.”
Gov. Jack Markell and Godowsky announced these grants on a visit to Brown Elementary, which will be sharing a $50,000 grant with four other schools in the Caesar Rodney School District.
Teachers at W. Reily Brown Elementary School in Dover aim to construct and research lesson plans at monthly meetings. This way, the teachers work more collaboratively and will better focus on how their practices impact student learning.
Susan Frampton is the principal of Brown Elementary, which is splitting $50,000 with four other schools in the Caesar Rodney school district.
“This will support and continue that development as teachers learn to develop lesson plans based on Common Core and make sure that students are learning at the level and rigor that they require," said Frampton.
Frampton adds that the school also plans to spend some of the money on model texts, having these examples of good writing will help their students improve on composition.
