March 26, 2025

Governor, DDOE address child care challenges and solutions

Governor Matt Meyer and DDOE’s Caitlin Gleason visited child care centers in Dover, Milford, and Seaford this month to hear directly from providers about the challenges facing Delaware’s child care industry. The day also included a roundtable discussion with child care business owners.

During the visits, the Governor acknowledged that too many Delaware families – particularly in rural parts of the state – are struggling to find high-quality, affordable child care options in their communities. Meanwhile, child care centers statewide face funding uncertainties and staffing shortages, making operating child care centers difficult.

“Studies show that the first five years of a child’s life are critical in shaping their future,” said Governor Meyer. “That’s why we must invest in our child care workforce, offer ongoing professional development opportunities and provide fair wages to those providing these essential services.”

Delaware has yet to finalize a comprehensive plan to address child care accessibility, and remains in the listening and learning stage. Key recommendations from the roundtable discussion included:

Throughout the day, Governor Meyer reaffirmed the state’s commitment to ensuring every child in Delaware has access to high-quality early education, underscoring that child care is an equity issue. As discussions around this work continue, Delaware remains focused on identifying solutions that will strengthen child care access and affordability so that all children are given a strong start.

Christina S.D. students access new Chill Rooms spaces

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative (WLC) recently unveiled two new innovative Chill Rooms in Christina School District to support student well-being. Located at The Bayard School and Maurice Pritchett Sr. Academy, the spaces provide a dedicated environment for students to manage stress and focus on mental wellness.

The Chill Rooms were established in partnership with Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and Nemours Children’s Health. Delaware continues to expand efforts to improve school-based mental wellness resources, including increasing access to school counselors and behavioral health specialists, integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) into classrooms, and investing in programs that create supportive environments for students.

Mental health work is critical to school success. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), students with poor mental health are more likely to struggle academically, have lower grades, and experience higher dropout rates. Additionally, students who participate in SEL programs improve more than 11% in academic performance compared to those who do not.

Recognizing the critical role mental health plays in student success, the introduction of Chill Rooms is part of a broader commitment to ensuring students have the tools and spaces they need to thrive academically and emotionally.

Delaware pilots equity-focused CTE pathways program

A new pilot program aimed at improving outcomes for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) is underway at Silver Lake Treatment Center (SLTC) in Middletown. The Delaware PIPEline Project for Equity (DPPE) is expanding access to career and technical education (CTE) pathways for students with disabilities, providing students with work-based learning experience, stipends, and enhanced opportunities for college and career advancement, including job placement.

Launched in January, DPPE builds on the DE PIPEline to Career Success for Students with Disabilities, a statewide initiative established in 2018. Designed with equity in mind, the pilot encourages students with disabilities to identify their barriers to CTE pathways and propose solutions to increase participation. Students provide their voice in state and district decisions, fostering leadership and collaboration skills. 

DPPE's primary goal is to promote inclusion and expand access to CTE pathways. At the same time, the program will ensure more students with disabilities earn career certifications and graduate high school.

In celebration of the pilot, a statewide showcase will take place for district and charter staff on Wednesday, May 14. The event will highlight the program’s impact and encourage further discussion on making career pathways more accessible for students with disabilities.

DPPE was created in partnership by the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families (DSCYF) and the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE).

Delaware's 5th annual Virtual Multilingual Learner Conference will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 and Thursday, April 10. This year’s theme, "Building Bridges Towards Collaboration, Coherence, and Community," will bring together Delaware educators and national presenters -  including Andrea Honigsfeld and Francisco Villegas - to discuss best practices for supporting the state's multilingual learners.

In preparation for the event, educators, community members, and advocates gathered last week in Dover for a pre-conference discussion with Monserrat Garibay, former assistant deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition. Garibay led a moderated discussion on multilingual learner student rights and perspectives in education. Delaware Secretary of Education Cindy Marten was also in attendance. Participants networked, enjoyed refreshments, and supported DELLTA’s Amanda Sapp Parisi Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for graduating current and former multilingual learners.

April's virtual conference promises to provide more insights and strategies to strengthen support for multilingual learners across the state. Participants must pre-register to receive the final schedule and select their individual sessions. 

Delaware announces 2025 state PAEMST finalists

Six Delaware teachers have been named state finalists for the 2025 Presidential Awards. From left to right: (top row) David Eroh, Dasianee Gavin, Sarah Leonard, (bottom row) Jacalyn Jenkins, Katie Menhart, and Shellee Wong.  

The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) has named six Delaware teachers as state finalists for the 2025 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the highest recognition that K-12 STEM teachers can receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Finalists’ applications will now move forward to the national level for final selection of the 2025 PAEMST National Awardees. 

The 2025 Delaware state finalists are:

The goal of the PAEMST award program is to exemplify the highest standards of mathematics and science teaching (including technology, engineering and computer science) in addition to honoring individual achievement. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of STEM education.  The award alternates each year between teachers of kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. Every year each state selects up to three mathematics teachers and three science teachers as state finalists. A national selection committee reviews state finalist applications and selects up to one awardee in each content area for every state. These teachers are recognized for their contributions to teaching and learning and their ability to help students make progress. Finalists who are selected as national awardees will take part in a weeklong series of networking and professional development activities in Washington, D.C., and receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

For more information about PAEMST and to see future nomination forms and application instructions, visit paemst.nsf.gov.

Delaware Department of Education I education.delaware.gov