Brandywine School District and its educators reached a new contract agreement Monday night. (Photo of Brandywine High School)

Brandywine, educators strike deal after teachers hit picket lines

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Brandywine School District and its educators struck a deal Monday night after a nearly year-long contract impasse. The district, which is the fifth largest in the state, agreed to raise the pay and protect the working conditions of more than a thousand public school teachers and specialists. “This is a huge win for teachers and specialists here in the Brandywine …

Delaware-lead BEAD Program for internet access's final proposal was approved by the federal government. (Photo by Proxima Studio/Adobe Stock)

Del. leads national ‘Internet for All’ funding initiative

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

Delaware is leading the charge in the federal government’s mission to provide internet for all. Tuesday, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved the First State’s final proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The program is a key feature of the federal government’s “Internet for All” initiative to connect everyone in America …

Over 1,000 of Brandywine's educators are working on expired contracts. (Photo by Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

Brandywine teachers hit the picket lines ahead of holidays due to expired contracts

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

WILMINGTON – An expired contract situation in Brandywine School District has tainted the holiday spirit of teachers, as they began to picket the district Tuesday in the first local educators’ union picketing in well over a decade. “I am shocked and saddened to be in this position,” said Jeannette Wilt, a computer and math teacher in the Brandywine School District …

Fixing the state's underperforming school districts is not unlike pushing a boulder up a hill.

Educators agree high absenteeism drives poor performance in 4 northern NCCo districts 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Delaware’s four most northern schools  – which make up four of the six largest districts in the state – have data metrics that can tell a number of stories, all of which keep parents, teachers, administrators, and even students awake at night. One story is about absenteeism. Another is about resources, another about the challenges of special student populations, and …

The WLC will need to have its amended $16 million budget approved. (Photo by billiondigital/Depositphotos)

Here’s how the WLC plans to spend $16 million this year

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative is making the final touches to its nearly $16 million budget for this 2024-2025 school year. After already getting the budget approved, the group voted for amendments Tuesday night in three line items: expanded learning time, professional development and school leader recruitment and retention.  Funds were decreased in the first two buckets and moved to school …

Several reading-specific metrics improved in 4 WLC schools this summer. (Photo from iStock Getty Images)

WLC summer program yields reading growth in 4 schools

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A coalition of city of Wilmington elementary schools can tout growth in reading over the summer.  In the Wilmington Learning Collaborative’s monthly meeting Tuesday night, Executive Director Laura Burgos presented the academic progress as a result of summer programming. The group contracted Reading Assist, a group contracted by the WLC that focuses on improving literacy rates, to help tutor students. …

Test scores remain virtually unchanged from last year, but SAT scores took a dip in a couple categories.

State test scores show 33% proficiency in math, 40% ELA

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Delaware’s state-wide test scores from the 2023-2024 school year were released Thursday, and while they are still very low, they did not get any worse than last year. That might not be saying much, as education experts across the state have been calling the low scores a “crisis” for multiple years …

schools

Clear bookbags, weapon detectors, more coming to Delaware schools

Julia MerolaEducation, Headlines

This story was originally published on Spotlight Delaware.  The reality of school shootings has plagued the nation for more than two decades, and last year saw more than 300 such incidents. While Delaware has been able to escape much of the bloodshed, recent incidents have unnerved many families and faculty. Guns have been fired inside schools amid altercations, threats have been left …

Delaware's Multi-Tiered System of Supports focus on academic, mental and behavioral health. (Photo by Deposit Photos)

Legislator: Mental health programs hurt Delaware classrooms

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A member of the state task force that’s trying to improve student behavior and school environments in schools said that tiered mental health programs are killing Delaware  classroom productivity.  “They don’t need all the fancy stuff,” said Sen. Eric Buckson, R-Dover, said. “They don’t need the interventions. They don’t need the couches, they don’t need the specialists. They just need …

The WLC has launched its new website and logo, designed by First Ascent Design. (Photo via Unsplash)

WLC launches anticipated website, new trademarked logo 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative has a new look.  “Much like when you meet a stranger for the first time, you don’t have associations with their face, and as you start experiencing that person, you gain those associations over time, so the WLC has just launched its new face,” said John Himics, president of First Ascent Design.  The collaborative’s governing board …