Congratulations to Our Elected Officials!

We value the extraordinary support that Governor-elect Jack Markell and other elected officials have expressed for Vision 2015 and look forward to working with them on the following education priorities to accelerate the positive momentum underway in Delaware’s schools:

1. Expanding the Vision Network so that more schools and districts across Delaware are using best practices, paving the way for all Delaware schools.
2. Strengthening early childhood education so that all Delaware’s children have a strong foundation when they enter school.
3. Improving the recruitment and professional development of teachers and school leaders so that all Delaware schools have high-quality educators.

Vision 2015 recommends investing in these priorities by reallocating funds that the LEAD Committee identified within the current public education budget that could be “spent smarter.” (LEAD Committee’s Cost Efficiency Study). We consider transforming Delaware’s public education system critical to the long-term prosperity of our state. We can’t afford not to make the investments that will make Delaware the First State in Education.

Governor-Elect Markell's Education Platform Aligns with Vision 2015 Priorities

Governor-elect Jack Markell’s education platform reflects significant alignment with the Vision 2015 recommendations and priorities, including:

• Improving Delaware’s student assessment system to provide teachers, parents, and students with more frequent achievement data;
• Expanding pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds whose families are within 200% of the poverty line;
• Instituting a quality rating system for early childhood education; following the goals outlined in the Delaware Stars for Early Success program; increasing state subsidies for care for children from low-income families, and tying them to performance on the ratings scale;
• Developing strategies to recruit new teachers and support existing teachers, especially in hard-to-staff subjects and schools;
• Offering leadership and advocacy training for families and instituting school-based family liaisons;
• Providing school leaders with more flexibility and discretion over how they use their resources; and
• Implementing the LEAD cost efficiency recommendations to spend Delaware’s education dollars smarter and make the most of available resources.

Markell also calls for increasing college scholarship and dual enrollment programs, providing loan forgiveness and economic incentives for teachers, and creating partnerships with higher education and other community organizations. Read the Governor-elect’s education plan in detail:

Education and Resources
Early Childhood Education
Attracting High Quality Teachers
Broadening the Reach of Higher Education

National Update

Congratulations to Delaware’s congressional delegation, including Senator Joe Biden, who will serve as Vice President under President-elect Barack Obama after January 20, and Congressman Mike Castle, a longtime champion of education issues.

President-elect Barack Obama has said that he considers education an important ingredient for addressing the country’s long-term economic problems. He ranks education on par with expanding access to health care, reforming entitlement programs, and developing new forms of energy.

Below are some of President-elect Obama’s education priorities that support the principles of Vision 2015:

• Recruiting well-qualified teachers to every classroom.
• Investing in early childhood education programs to guarantee access to quality, affordable, early childhood education for every child in the U.S.
• Experimenting with teacher pay plans that deviate from traditional salary scales.

Read the November 5, 2008 Education Week article, “Obama Elected 44th President,” which outlines Obama’s expansive agenda for pre-K-12 education.

Students Eye Their Future as Voters

Schools across Delaware used the 2008 election as a teachable moment about the democratic process and the rewards of becoming involved. Read how these Delaware schools engaged students in the election:

“Election a hot topic in classrooms,”
The News Journal, November 6, 2008
“Students get a head start casting a vote,”
The News Journal, November 2, 2008
“Student voters choose Obama, Biden, Castle,”
The News Journal, November 1, 2008

Did You Know?

• 81% of Delawareans would like our governor and state legislators to pay more attention to improving public education in Delaware.
• 76% of Delawareans consider a candidate’s position on education very important when deciding whom to support.

March 2008 statewide public opinion poll research; Rodel Foundation of Delaware. 

VISION-aries 

“Our schools face the challenge of preparing students to compete in a global marketplace, and yet we still need to work on the fundamentals like making sure more kids graduate on time.... We may never again have such an opportunity to make the changes that will make Delaware an even better place to live--not just for ourselves, but for our children and our children’s children.”

-- Governor-Elect Jack Markell in his acceptance speech November 4, 2008

Contact Us 

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