Author Archive

Pushing the Needle on Teacher Prep

Posted by Matthew Korobkin

Back in January, Governor Markell delivered his State of the State and called the legislature to action on strengthening the preparation of teachers in Delaware.  The bill moved through the State Senate and the House, with endorsing testimony from the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA).  Last week, the Governor signed this bill into law, profoundly strengthening the way teachers will be trained in the First State. 

Let’s face it, Delaware is a small state.  With only four teacher preparation programs, it has the potential to be a national leader.  The problem is, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, we’re not.  Today, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released its first annual Teacher Prep Review, a review of 1,200 elementary secondary preparation programs throughout the US.  The ratings that NCTQ gave Delaware’s teacher preparation programs weren’t much to brag about (the state’s highest ranking program received a 2.5 out of 4 stars).  Frankly, this didn’t come as a surprise. 

NCTQ’s Teacher Prep Review pushes for an environment of transparency, collaboration, and some tough discussions about how to move the needle forward in teacher prep.  And it provides all of us (parents, teachers, prospective teachers as consumers, students, policy makers, district HR directors) an opportunity to assess and compare our state’s teacher preparation programs to its national counterparts.  (It’s important to note that information like this, on a national level, has never been so readily available and current.  The US Department of Education has the Title II report; however, it’s self-reported and has a two year lag.)  In Delaware, the Governor’s teacher prep legislation, coupled with the Teacher Prep Review, will hopefully serve as a wellspring for open dialogue centered on the promise of having a great teacher in every Delaware classroom.  By requiring that all teacher prep programs in the state annually collect data on its students, as it is now mandated in SB51, these conversations should happen in a way that involves all stakeholders in the teacher preparation pipeline.  And because Delaware’s four teacher prep programs only train 60% of our state’s educators, we’ll have to work with other states to raise the bar for those prepared elsewhere.

I’d like to end on this note:  As the field of medicine has become more complex, so too have the entrance and exit standards for medical school.  As the professional standards for structural engineering have become more stringent, it has become harder to enter programs to prepare for the profession and become certified upon program completion.  Teaching, as a profession, should be no different.  SB51 and the Teacher Prep Review are making the case for this.

Early Childhood News: Announcing DEL Teams

Posted by Matthew Korobkin

A bold leap into uncharted early-childhood territory has occurred in Delaware to ensure that our state’s youngsters are kindergarten-ready.  The Delaware Office of Early Learning (OEL) and the Delaware Early Learning Center (DEEC) announced its selection of fifteen Delaware Readiness Teams (DEL Teams) that will support kindergarten readiness and birth to grade three alignment throughout the education system. The competitive application process to become a DEL Team started back in January.

The creation of these DEL Teams was part of the Delaware’s winning Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge application. DEL Teams promote a community approach to readiness that includes children’s health, learning and development, early learning programs’ and schools’ connections, family engagement, and the provision of family resources and services as a model that best prepares children for school success.  In addition, it will be the start of getting all of these folks to speak the same language—removing the sloughs that sometimes exist between the early childhood and early elementary personnel.

The fifteen DEL Teams will receive up to three years of support (up to $1000 each in the first year) to establish their Team, complete a community-based needs assessment on kindergarten readiness, and directly address the needs of families, schools, early care/education programs and children who are making the transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten.  In addition, selected teams will receive technical assistance, resources, and professional development to support their community’s unique needs.

The DEL Teams span all three counties and include:

  • 18th & Baynard Team (Wilmington)
  • Brandywine Readiness Partnership
  • Cape Henlopen Community Team
  • Center City Wilmington Delaware Readiness Team
  • Delaware Statewide Programs for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind
  • Lake Forest Readiness Team
  • Love A Valuable One Now – The Help I Really Deserve (Milford)
  • Lower Sussex Readiness Team
  • Mt. Pleasant Community Partnership
  • North Dover Readiness Team
  • Seaford Readiness Team
  • Smyrna Clayton Eaglets Readiness Team
  • South Dover Readiness Team
  • Team Keene
  • Woodbridge Readiness Team

Parents and community members interested in participating in these DEL Teams should contact Brandi Miller at OEL or Sherlynn Aurelio at DEEC.

Proposed Legislation to Elevate the Preparation of Teachers

Posted by Matthew Korobkin

Back in January, Governor Markell delivered his State of the State and called the legislature to action on strengthening the preparation of teachers in Delaware.  Yesterday, legislation was filed which, if passed, will drastically strengthen the way higher education prepares teachers in the state of Delaware. 

Why now?

As a small state with only four teacher preparation programs, Delaware has the potential to be a leader in training tomorrow’s teachers.  The problem is we’re not.  In its annual State Policy Year Book, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) gave Delaware a D- when it comes to teacher preparation.   And in a study created by a partnership between Delaware and the Harvard University Strategic Data Project, it was found that close to two in five new teachers leave teaching in our state within four years; in our high-needs schools, that number is close to three in five. 

What’s in the proposed legislation?

Parents, teachers, students, and researchers all agree – teacher quality is the single most important school factor in a child’s academic success.  The proposed legislation delivers on a three pronged approach for higher education improvements: raising the bar for the teaching profession; improving teacher training; and tracking data on Delaware’s teacher preparation programs.

When it comes to raising the bar, the proposed legislation includes five key revisions to the state’s existing educator licensure code.

·         It will require teacher candidates to have a GPA if at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a GPA in the top 50th percentile for coursework completed.  This can either in high school, or during two years in college (meaning that if a candidate performed poorly in high school, they have a chance to still become a teacher by making improvements during the first two years of college, before they officially enter that college’s teacher prep program).

·         It will require candidates to pass a test normed to the general college bound population (likely including the SAT and ACT) and passing a minimum score (which would be determined by the Professional Standards Board and State Board in regulation).

·         It will require candidates to pass a content-readiness exam and performance assessment. 

·         It will allow the requirements mentioned above to be waived for up to 10% of students admitted.  This allows teacher preparation programs the ability to admit qualified candidates who may have special needs or other challenges.

·         It will require candidates to achieve a passing score on an examination of content knowledge; this applies to all candidates who may teach special education in a core content area.

When it comes to improving teacher training, the proposed legislation provides revisions that assure candidates are exposed to high-quality student teaching experiences; ongoing evaluation of throughout practice teaching; and literacy and math instruction geared to the needs of elementary school teachers.

Tying all of the contents in the proposed legislation together, it contains a requirement that teacher preparation programs annually collect and report data on the performance and effectiveness of its graduates.  These data will inform and provide the public with important information on the efficacy of our state’s teacher preparation programs.

Why does it matter?

This should come as no surprise:  “The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers and principals” (PISA, 2009).  This proposed legislation not only acknowledges this, it creates a starting point for excellence.  It gives Delaware a foundation for becoming a top state in the area of teacher preparation, a model for other states—and perhaps a bump in the NCTQ ratings from D- to A+.  It gives us the potential to create the best teachers in the US and keep them in our state.

This legislation is, however, only a starting point.  Prospective teachers, practicing classroom teachers, school leaders, and higher education all must work together to strengthen the preparation of tomorrow’s educators.  Delaware’s State Teacher of the Year John Sell has remarked about the preparation he encountered before entering the craft of teaching, describing his feelings of unpreparedness as a new teacher.  He strongly commended and endorsed the contents of the proposed legislation.  It will take this kind of enthusiasm, in tandem with the contents of the proposed legislation that will elevate the preparation of teachers in our state.

Follow Us

We're social

Stay Informed


Contact Us

For further info