Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 Delaware Parent Leadership (DPLI) Institute. The deadline is January 5, 2008.

DPLI trains parents to better understand school achievement data so that they can help teachers better meet students’ learning needs. This innovative program directly aligns with Vision 2015's recommendation to offer leadership and advocacy training to families and to institute school-based family liaisons to strengthen school-family ties.

The Institute is open to all parents and caregivers of Delaware public school students who have demonstrated leadership potential and are interested in improving schools. In 2006, 23 parents graduated from DPLI and are now implementing projects that assist educators in raising student achievement.

Learn more about DPLI and download an application by clicking here.

Visionaries

"You don't need to convince us that the educational process is important for our children and us to participate in. But what we do need to be convinced of as parents is that we are valued partners in this process. What Vision 2015 calls for is a sensible and responsive school system."

-- Carol King-Ries, Parent Leader, Wilmington, Delaware

Did You Know?

The United States' ranking fell in science and math in the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial survey of the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds across the globe conducted through the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Between 2003 and 2006, U.S. student rankings fell from 19th to 21st among OECD countries on the science assessment; and dropped from 23rd to 25th in mathematics.  Read more.

Source: 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Business Partnerships Benefit Delaware's Science Teachers

For 12 years, the DuPont Company has been working with the Delaware Department of Education to provide training for science teachers across the state -- dedicating its financial and personnel resources to making sure today's students are ready for the jobs of tomorrow. The partnership with DuPont is just one way that the DOE is supporting the implementation of the Smithsonian Science Curriculum. Read more.

Research

Math and Science Courses Increase Student Success

Students who take rigorous math and science courses in high school generally attend college at much higher rates and feel prepared for postsecondary-level coursework than those who take less challenging alternatives. Research indicates:

• Students who complete Algebra II in high school more than double their chances of earning a four-year college degree.
• More than two-thirds of recent high school graduates who took Algebra II in high school reported that they were well prepared for the demands they face in college and the workplace. In contrast, of the graduates who took less than Algebra II, only four out of ten say they were well prepared. Results were similar whether graduates went to college or directly to the workplace.
• Seventy-seven percent of college students say requiring four years of math, biology, chemistry, and physics for graduation would encourage high school students to work harder and be better prepared. Eighty-three percent of employers agree.
• The highest level of math a student completes in high school is the strongest predictor of whether that student will go on to complete a Bachelor’s degree, regardless of race, family income, or background.

Sources: Achieve, Inc. (2006). Do All Students Need Challenging Math in High School?
Adelman, Clifford (2006). The Toolbox Revisited: Paths for Degree Completion from High School Through College.

Contact

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