Education

The state has not yet signaled to school districts whether they should reopen in-person, online, or some combination of the two. 

But with just about a month left until the start of school, William Penn High School has made a decision: to begin entirely online. 

The Delaware State Education Association’s call for a fully virtual start to the school year has gotten support from some lawmakers.

But the state’s largest teachers union is still trying to convince Gov. John Carney.

Delaware’s largest university announced Wednesday it will operate mostly online for the fall semester. City of Newark officials approve of the decision — but note it will affect local businesses. 

The state is scheduled to decide next month what path it will tell districts and charters to take as they formulate school reopening plans.

But one district is already delaying the start of its school year to have more time to implement its plan.

Voters across Delaware cast ballots Tuesday in local school board elections.

Rony Baltazar-Lopez was the first latino and one of the youngest school board members on the Milford School District Board of Education.

He was appointed to the board last year to fill a vacated spot. He now seeks a full five year term on the board in the upcoming election.

Baltazar-Lopez faces a challenger in the election, Scott Willey, a construction company owner. Willey did not respond with availability for an interview.

Here is the full interview with Baltazar-Lopez:

Two candidates for school board will face off in the election on Tuesday in the Caesar Rodney School District.

Record numbers of voters are expected to cast ballots in this year’s Delaware school board elections.

Three candidates vie for one five year term on Capital’s Board of Education.

Anthony DePrima is the incumbent, after being appointed to fill the seat vacated when Ralph Taylor was elected to city council last year.  DePrima says he offers unique experience as a former Dover city manager and planning director.

The Delaware Department of Education is releasing its final guidance on planning to reopen schools this fall. But the state is holding off on deciding what form reopening will take. 

In most years July offers educators a bit of a break. Not this year.

Their task at hand is figuring out if school buildings can reopen, and if so, how best to balance learning and safety as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

State Education Secretary Susan Bunting is scheduled next week to offer recommendations from 3 working groups that are supposed to offer guidance.

Contributor Larry Nagengast examines what these recommendations may look like, and the challenges districts and charters will face even with this guidance. 

Delaware State University is buying financially troubled Wesley College in Dover. 

Delaware State University unveiled a plan for reopening this fall that includes regular testing of students for the coronavirus.

Recalls of lettuce and other leafy greens because of new contaminations seem to be more common.

Recent large outbreaks of salmonella and e-coli in romaine lettuce raise the question- why are these contaminations happening now?

Delaware students have joined a nationwide trend of anonymously sharing their experiences of racism and bias at school on social media. 

The Indian River School District says goodbye to Superintendent Mark Steele this week.

Delaware’s Department of Education (DOE) is promising an increased focus on equity amid nationwide protests for racial justice. But there is no new funding to back it up.

Educators face a unique challenge this summer.

They’re not only tasked with combating the usual summer learning loss, but they now need to address learning progress stunted by the pandemic – a so-called  “Covid Slide.”

Contributor Larry Nagengast took a closer look at initiatives  attempting to meet these challenges.

Delaware’s high school graduation rates are the highest they have been in a decade.

State graduation rates increased by just over 1.5 percent, from 86.69% in 2018 to 88.27% in 2019.

A tumultuous year for Odyssey Charter School has ended on a high note, with the removal of an 11-month probation imposed by the state Secretary of Education and the awarding of 61 diplomas at the school’s first graduation ceremony.

The University of Delaware unveils its initial plans for reopening campus to students this fall.

UD President Dennis Assanis says fall semester classes will start Sept. 1st.