General Assembly Passes Joint Resolution Supporting Vision 2015

Senate Joint Resolution 7, which offers support for Vision 2015 and encourages cooperation with the Leadership for Education Achievement in Delaware (LEAD) Committee, was passed unanimously by both houses of the General Assembly on June 30. The recommendations that the Committee puts forth will inform state education policy and assist the implementation of several Vision 2015 recommendations.

Wallace Foundation Awards $1.5 Million to DOE for School Leadership

The Wallace Foundation, headquartered in New York City, has announced a $1.5 million award to the Delaware Department of Education (DOE) to continue its work in strengthening a statewide school leadership system. A portion of these funds will be directed to the Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) at the University of Delaware, to support the Vision Network districts and schools through customized training and coaching. Since 2001, DOE has received a total of $1.4 million from the Foundation to focus on school leadership, in collaboration with higher education, school districts, professional organizations and the State Legislature.

"This generous grant from the Wallace Foundation is a wonderful opportunity for us to continue the important work of all of our initiatives," said Secretary of Education Valerie A. Woodruff. "Effective leadership is second only to effective teachers in ensuring high levels of student achievement. I am delighted that the Wallace Foundation has such confidence in us."

Focusing on Results: Angus McBeath Delivers Keynote at Policy and Practice Institute

On Wednesday, June 27, the Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) at the University of Delaware, in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Education, convened the Fifth Annual Policy and Practice Institute in Dover. The forum—which brought together teachers, superintendents, school board members, current and aspiring school leaders and Education Department officials—focused on leadership in schools and the opportunities for improvement in the Delaware school system, including the promise that Vision 2015 brings to the State.

Angus McBeath, former Superintendent of Schools in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, offered a keynote address. McBeath engaged the audience with the story of the extraordinary transformation he led of Edmonton Public Schools, which is one of the highest performing school districts in the world. The inspiring message he left behind is also at the heart of Vision 2015: focus on student achievement results, and a world-class system of schools for each and every child in Delaware will become a reality.

Angus McBeath currently serves as Superintendent Emeritus of Focus on Results, a group that for over a decade has been working with schools and districts across the United States and Canada to make measurable, lasting improvements in student performance, school leadership, decision-making, and professional development. Focus on Results will work directly with the Vision Network districts and schools as a training and coaching partner.

To get the latest information on how to become involved with Vision 2015, please visit our web site: www.vision2015delaware.org. Or e-mail Melanie Ross Levin at Melanie@vision2015delaware.org.

Delaware Early Childhood Council Codified

HB 126, which codifies the Delaware Early Childhood Council, has been signed into law by Governor Ruth Ann Minner, who created the Delaware Early Care and Education Council in 2001. Vision 2015 applauds Representative Marshall and the Kids' Caucus for their leadership to improve the quality of early childhood care and education for all Delaware children. The codification of the Early Childhood Council establishes early childhood education as a priority in Delaware and will strengthen the impressive work already underway under the leadership of Ann Wick.

The Student Empowerment Program at West Seaford Elementary offers students the opportunity to design programs to increase student achievement and responsibility. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade are encouraged by teachers and the administration to create their own programs or student interest groups, with the goal of improving on student development and/or school performance. Students have designed programs that focus on such areas as peer mentoring, safety, and community service projects to provide students opportunities for positive academic and social experiences outside of normal classroom work. To find out more information about West Seaford Elementary's Student Empowerment Program click here.

Teacher attrition has grown by 50 percent over the past fifteen years, bringing the national rate to 16.8 percent annually, bringing some teacher dropout rates higher than student dropout rates. The national cost of public school teacher turnover could be over $7.3 billion a year.

"The High Cost of Teacher Turnover," National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, 2007

One of Vision 2015's main building blocks is to "Develop and Support High-Quality Teachers" by treating them as professionals; providing incentives and bonuses; increasing coaching, mentoring and professional development opportunities; and giving schools the support they need to help new teachers succeed.

"The Vision 2015 plan is the most thoughtful reform plan I've seen in the last few years in any of the jurisdictions I work with. It develops a moral and economic case for reform, uses data effectively to create urgency, and sets some powerful targets for students, districts and schools to meet."

–- Angus McBeath, Former Superintendent, Edmonton Public Schools, Canada