Clean needle

Bill will give addicts new needles without turning in old

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill heard Wednesday in the Senate Health & Social Services committee would alter the state’s needle exchange program to allow people to get clean new needles without exchanging them for dirty needles. Senate Bill 52, sponsored by Sen. Marie Pinkney, D-Bear, would change the Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Program into the Sterile Needle and Syringe Service Program, allowing …

Legislature may declare National Atheist Day

House resolution would declare Atheist Day in Delaware

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

  A recently circulated General Assembly resolution would designate March 23 as National Atheist Day in Delaware. Sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow and Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, the resolution doesn’t yet have a bill number. Efforts were not successful to reach Morrison for comment. Sturgeon said she grew up and remains Catholic, but believes in philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s leap …

Many First State teachers got their wish Monday as the Public Education Compensation Committee decided to move its meetings back to a later start time. (Unsplash)

Teacher’s union gets 1 wish: Pay committee moves meeting 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Delaware’s state teachers union got one of its wishes Monday when the state committee charged with adjusting the salaries of public school workers announced it will push its monthly meeting back an hour. Mark Holodick, education secretary and chair of the Public Education Compensation Committee said at the start of Monday’s regular meeting that starting next month, the committee will …

books reading

Science of reading bill sails through Senate, awaits Carney’s signature

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  A bill aimed at combating the sharp decline in Delaware’s literacy rates since 2002 swept through the General Assembly. It unanimously passed the Senate Tuesday, following a unanimous vote in the House last week. “I predict that in 10 years we are going to be in the top 10 states in reading proficiency because of what we’re doing here …

Mental Health

Mental health curriculum bill heads to Senate floor for vote

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A bill that will require the state to provide mental health education in every grade level passed through the Senate Education Committee and will now go to the Senate floor.  If it passes there, it will go to Gov. John Carney for his signature. House Bill 301 asks the Department of Education to establish and implement mental health educational programs …

a group of people sitting at a desk looking at a computer

Seaford test scores improve with focus on science of reading

Betsy PriceEducation, Headlines

  While students at Blades Elementary get the traditional reminders to continue reading during the upcoming spring break, their reminders have a twist. About 35% of the 400 students in that Seaford School District school come from homes in which English is not the first language spoken. So Blades recommends the entire family read as a way to improve literacy …

a group of people in a room

Science of reading bill sails through Senate, heads to House

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A day after being released by the Senate Education Committee, a bill that refocus the way reading is taught sailed through the Senate. A bill that requires the state to establish a curriculum aligned with the science of reading is on its way to the state House after being unanimously supported by all 21 senators. Senate Bill 4, which passed …

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Science of reading bill heads to Senate floor with bipartisan support

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A bill requiring the state’s public schools to use techniques and materials employing the science of reading is headed to the Senate floor.     Delaware has a literacy problem, and Sen. Laura Sturgeon is trying to fix it by having schools teach using the science of reading.  Her Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 4, which requires Delaware schools …

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Legislative leaders spar over mask protests at school board meetings

Betsy PriceEducation, Government, Headlines

Delaware legislators issued dueling press statements about people opposing the school mask mandate. Photo by Vera Davidova/Unsplash   Democratic members of the Delaware Senate Education Committee lashed out Wednesday night, calling vocal protesters at school board meetings opposing the state mask mandate “immature and irresponsible.” “Our schools and our children’s education should not be held hostage by a vocal minority …

a man wearing a suit and tie

Chinese American groups, state senator pressure Brady to resign

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Rep. Gerald L. Brady   Calls are mounting for embattled State Rep. Gerald Brady’s immediate resignation after the lawmaker was caught last month using a racist slur to refer to women of Asian descent. The Delaware Chinese American Association and Chinese American Community Center called on Brady to step down Monday in an email sent to Gov. John Carney and …