School Board First State educate

First State Educate starts Center for School Board Excellence

Betsy PriceEducation, Headlines

A Delaware nonprofit dedicated to encouraging more public involvement in education is launching an online Center for School Board Excellence in Governance. First State Educate’s center will build on its monthly community action meetings that examine topics of interest to school boards and the people who interact with them, including how agendas are set or what to expect when you’re …

First State Educate's latest webinar focused on school board agendas. (Photo by redkphotohobby/Adobe Stock)

Education group details school board agendas, legal rules

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Delaware school boards operate under many rules, including having public meetings that have been advertised in advance to comply with state Freedom of Information requirements. That was one of the details that came up during a  First State Educate webinar Monday night  focused on how school board agendas work, the legal requirements of boards, the importance of communication and more. …

First State Educate's community action event Monday night focused on parental engagement with school boards.

FSE says parents need to engage in their kids’ education

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A group advocating for radical change to improve education in the state wants parents to be involved in their child’s education and is giving them the tools to do so.  First State Educate hosted a webinar Monday night in what will be a series of meetings helping inform the public about the current state of education in Delaware.  Monday’s was …

The election results for 2024's school board races have been released.

2024 Delaware school board election results

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The preliminary  results for the 2024 Delaware school board elections are in, and there will be five new faces sworn into their seats this summer. Across state’s 19 school districts, 16 candidates campaigned for seven open seats in seven districts. Here are this year’s winners: New Castle County Appoquinimink School District — Incumbent Norman A. Abrams Jr.   Colonial School …

Delaware's 2024 school board elections are Tuesday, May 14.

19 to compete for 8 seats in May 14 school board elections

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

In a light year for school board races, 19 candidates are vying for eight open seats across eight of the state’s 19 school districts. This year’s election is Tuesday, May 14, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last year, 43 candidates ran for 23 vacancies across 16 school districts. In 2022,  42 candidates competed for 19 open …

With the deadline to file to run for school board elections is two weeks away, current board members share the potential impact of successful candidates. (Photo by designbydx/Adobe Stock)

School board members: Newly elected can have swift impact

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

School board members in their first term say parents who hesitate to run for school board should know that new members can make a difference right away. Don Patton was one of the drivers of Christina School District establishing a fresh method of evaluation for Superintendent Dan Shelton to hold him accountable for the district goals he sets each year. …

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Education group seeks candidates to run for school boards

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Education

First State Educate/ First State Action Fund is seeking  community members committed to seeing their public schools thrive with rigorous, safe and supportive environments by serving on their elected local school board. Why should you serve? Did you know that less than half our students read on grade level and perform math with proficiency? The decisions made by local school …

Home with piggy bank behind it

Bill to bar school boards from raising property taxes goes to House

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  A bill that would stop school boards from unilaterally increasing school property taxes as much as 10% after a pending state property revaluation was sent by unanimous vote to the House floor Wednesday. During Wednesday’s House Education Committee, Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek said his House Bill 389 would address the current reassessments of property in all three countries …

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5 districts see hefty increase in voter turnout for school board election 

Jarek RutzEducation, Delaware Live, Headlines, Milford-live

Five school districts had huge increases in voter turnout in Tuesday’s school board elections, with some doubling or tripling their vote count from last year’s election. At the same time, seven districts with contested races actually saw a decrease in voter participation since last year. Many observers hoped to see the statewide forums and increased interest in what’s happening in …

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School board elections open to voters Tuesday

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  After weeks of candidates campaigning, Delaware’s 38 school board candidates face the voters Tuesday, May 10. Polls open on May 10 at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. While school board elections typically draw only 10% of the available voters, many Delaware organizations are hoping for a higher turnout this year. Jane Brady, chairwoman of the Delaware State …