The second round of bonuses for child care workers will be for $700. (Unsplash)

Delaware offers second round of child care worker bonuses

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Tiny Tots Childcare Director Jessica Burns got good news Wednesday: A second round of relief checks for Delaware’s child care professionals. That will help her workers pay for their certifications, which cost between $300 and $500, she said. “This definitely is a retention effort by the state,” she said. “My staff is very, very excited and hoping to get to …

Child care affordability and access (Unsplash)

Child care report: First State lacks affordable options

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A new report from Rodel shows that First State families do not have adequate access to affordable child care. A coalition of advocacy groups – including Rodel, the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children, Delaware Readiness Teams and the First State Pre-K – conducted a survey with hundreds of Delaware families to gauge their feelings about child care …

Delaware's math framework aims to improve student achievement and outcomes. (Unsplash)

State to embrace new math ‘framework’ to raise scores

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Delaware Department of Education is championing higher-quality math curriculums, spending more time on the topic and offering more professional training to teachers. It is part of what the department calls a framework to help combat the state’s atrocious scores in math, including 18 schools that have single-digit proficiency scores.  Just 29.48% of First State students are proficient in math, …

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2022 Rewind: Republican Party must change to win, leaders say

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

This story was originally published in November 2022. Republicans did not fare well in Delaware’s Nov. 8 election. Democrats widened their majority in the state Senate, maintained the balance of power in the House, and won every election for statewide elected offices. In the wake of the Republican wallop, some party leaders are hoping the party will begin to move …

GOP delaware 1

ICYMI: Delaware GOP needs to change, leaders say

Charles MegginsonHeadlines, Government

Republicans did not fare well in Delaware’s Nov. 8 election. Democrats widened their majority in the state Senate, maintained the balance of power in the House, and won every election for statewide elected offices. In the wake of the Republican wallop, some party leaders are hoping the party will begin to move in a more productive direction — one that …

GOP delaware 1

Delaware GOP leaders: Party needs change to win

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Republicans did not fare well in Delaware’s Nov. 8 election. Democrats widened their majority in the state Senate, maintained the balance of power in the House, and won every election for statewide elected offices. In the wake of the Republican wallop, some party leaders are hoping the party will begin to move in a more productive direction — one that …

Farmers

Senate Republicans unveil mini-doc on Delaware farmers

Charles MegginsonCulture, Headlines

When you think about “government communications,” you might automatically tune out. Press releases, statements, political jargon — it can all be a bit dull. When the Delaware Senate Republican Caucus decided to focus on the challenges being faced by the First State’s agricultural community, its members knew a press release wouldn’t cut it. That’s why Matt Revel, the caucus’s communications …

Delaware's teacher union wants the state to follow Maryland's lead and start teachers' salary at $60,000.

State teachers’ union asks for base pay hike

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Delaware’s teacher union proposed a new salary schedule Monday that includes a base pay of $60,000. Of that base pay, $42,000 would come from the state — $12,000 more than it’s currently paying.  Under the plan, teacher salaries would be raised over three years, costing the state $134.5 million in total. By the final year, total teacher salaries would cost …

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Legislature to reconvene to tackle Medicare Advantage

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

In response to protests by state government retirees who say they were left in the dark over a significant change to their health insurance, the General Assembly unveiled a bill Monday aimed at creating additional oversight. The House of Representatives and Senate will hold a special session in Dover on Oct. 26 to debate and vote on the bill. Pensioners …

McG Schwartz

House speaker refuses to consider McGuiness removal

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The Delaware Senate on Monday passed a resolution to begin a process Democratic leadership hopes will result in the removal of one of their own: State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness. Every Republican voted against the measure, putting them in line with House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth, who said he has “no intention of calling the House into session to consider this …