Learn Firsthand Why Vision 2015 is Vital to Delaware’s Future
Registration closes September 29.
The University of Delaware has committed its third "Creating Knowledge-Based Partnerships" conference to Vision 2015. Delaware Education for a Global Economy: Making Vision 2015 Work will explore the critical links among a strong public education system, the economic prosperity of our state, and health of our communities, and it will dig into the steps required to implement Vision 2015 fully. Keynote speaker Sir Michael Barber will present the steps and commitments required to build a world-class education system in Delaware. Vision 2015 Chair Skip Schoenhals will lay out the challenges that Delaware must meet, and the two gubernatorial candidates will respond to those challenges.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Two locations: Clayton Hall, University of Delaware Rt. 896 North, Newark
Carvel Research and Education Center (live broadcast), 16483 County Seat Road, Georgetown
The conference cost for Newark is $50. (Georgetown is free of charge.) Registration is required by September 29, 2008.
For more information and to register, visit www.udel.edu/partnerships.
Six Opinion Leaders Praise Vision 2015
The September 21 issue of The News Journal featured six opinions representing diverse perspectives on the critical role that world-class public education plays in Delaware’s ability to prosper in an increasingly competitive global economy.
Leading the list is Sir Michael Barber, former education advisor to Tony Blair, who stresses the urgency of implementing positive changes in the public education system and discusses the successes of his educational reform work in England. He believes that Delaware has a great opportunity to lead the way for the nation through the “great strategy set out in Vision 2015.”
Other authors include Sam Bellingham, recent Delaware high school graduate; Ernie Dianastasis, managing director of CAI and chair of the Delaware Business Roundtable and First State Innovation; Dan Rich, Provost of the University of Delaware; Terri Villa, principal of St. Georges Technical High School; and Valerie Woodruff, Delaware Secretary of Education.
Read the opinions:
"Still Short of world class" by Michael Barber
“Take high school outside” by Sam Bellingham
"The work force isn't prepared" by Ernie Dianastasis
"Act on vision of success" by Dan Rich
"St. Georges teachers sharpen skill" by Terri Villa
"There's more room to improve schools" by Valerie Woodruff
Delaware’s Vision 2015 Recognized Nationally by the Philanthropy Roundtable
The Philanthropy Roundtable, one of the nation’s leading voices in private sector giving, cited Vision 2015 in its new publication, Achieving Teacher and Principal Excellence by Andrew J. Rotherham, co-founder and co-director of Education Sector. Vision 2015 was identified as an example in the author’s list of 10 “big new ideas in need of support.”
VISION-aries
“The profession of teaching has been described as a blend of art and science. Through the Vision 2015 experience, St. Georges is honing our collective scientific skills. Instructional decisions are now based on student data.”
--St. Georges Technical High School principal Terri Villa in the September 21 News Journal opinion, "St. Georges teachers sharpen skill"
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Look who’s talking about the Vision Network!
View our brand new Vision Network video to learn how teachers and administrators throughout Delaware are embracing the recommendations of Vision 2015.
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Research
The work of international educational expert Sir Michael Barber, who helped to reform public education in England, included national strategies to improve student learning in literacy and math in early elementary school, efforts to turn around failing schools, and teacher training and compensation reforms. With American public education facing challenges similar to those in Britain – including the questions of what to do with failing schools and how to recruit and retain the most effective educators and school leaders – we can learn a lot from England's experience:
--Changing the Culture and Status of Teaching: Using marketing and recruitment techniques taken from business, England made teaching the most popular profession among college graduates in just 5 years.
--Recruiting New Teachers: By 2006, there were 32 different ways to enter the teaching profession in England.
--Improving Teacher Compensation: Increasing teacher salaries in England by 10% resulted in a 30% increase in applications.
--Using Best Practices in the Classroom: New national training programs employing best-practice training techniques increased the number of students meeting the target standards in literacy from 63% to 75% in 3 years.
--Leading Schools Effectively: 97% of schools in England rated good or excellent overall by the independent inspectorate are led by management teams that are also rated good or excellent overall; just 8% of schools with leadership teams rated satisfactory or below are rated good or excellent overall.
Source: McKinsey & Company (September 2007), How the world’s best performing school systems come out on top.
Did You Know?
England’s education reforms under Tony Blair and Sir Michael Barber produced astounding results quickly: In 2000, just three years after their reform efforts began, the district considered the lowest performing in 1997 outperformed the national average in reading.
Education Sector. Education Reform Lessons from England: An Interview with Sir Michael Barber, 2006.
Spotlight: Twilight Program Helps High School Students Advance
High schools across Delaware are introducing The Twilight program to help students meet or exceed their educational goals. The program focuses on “credit recovery” for students who require extra credits to ensure they graduate on time; provides opportunities for students to advance their coursework to prepare them for higher-level classes and college; and helps adults to meet their employment goals by allowing them to earn a high school diploma.
How does it work?
Twilight programs have grown in popularity and taken a number of forms to address students’ individual needs. Originally designed as an after-school or evening curriculum to help students earn a high school diploma, Twilight programs are now helping students to advance more quickly than the traditional school day will allow. In some schools, Twilight programs are being used to help students make up time they have missed for absences, suspensions, and other issues that keep them out of class.
Read more.
Contact
To get the latest information on how to become involved with Vision 2015, please visit www.vision2015delaware.org or e-mail us at info@vision2015delaware.org.
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