June 2026

Delaware literacy strategy earns national recognition

Delaware’s statewide effort to improve early literacy is gaining national recognition as the state strengthens how future teachers are prepared to teach reading.

A new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) highlights Delaware’s work to align educator preparation programs with evidence-based reading instruction. The recognition comes as Delaware completes the first round of comprehensive reviews of the colleges and universities preparing future educators, an important step in the state’s broader strategy to improve literacy outcomes for students.

Too many Delaware students continue to struggle with reading proficiency, making literacy one of the state’s most urgent priorities. State leaders, educators, and policymakers have worked together to strengthen literacy instruction through a coordinated strategy that includes stronger instructional materials, professional learning, coaching, student screening, implementation support, and public accountability for results.

Building on earlier literacy legislation, Senate Bill 252 established a formal review and accountability process for the colleges and universities that prepare Delaware’s future teachers. The law requires programs preparing elementary, early childhood, special education, and reading specialist candidates to demonstrate alignment with evidence-based literacy instruction and the Delaware Early Literacy Framework.

Delaware recently completed the first round of reviews under the law, marking a major milestone in the state’s effort to strengthen teacher preparation and improve literacy outcomes for students.

“Delaware is building a statewide literacy strategy around a simple promise: Every child deserves a teacher who knows how to teach reading well,” Secretary of Education Cindy Marten said. “That requires strong instruction in our classrooms, strong support for the educators already serving students and strong preparation before new teachers begin their careers. The General Assembly gave us a clear framework for this work, our higher education partners opened their programs to a rigorous review, and we are now using what we learned to strengthen implementation. This is how investment becomes better teaching and better outcomes for students. We are grateful to Delaware’s educator preparation programs for their partnership and their commitment to continuing this work with us.”

Students honored at 2nd annual Future in the Arts celebration

Graduating seniors recognized for commitment to arts education at historic Smyrna Opera House.

Forty Delaware high school seniors were honored at the second annual Future in the Arts celebration at the Smyrna Opera House.

The event, presented by the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA), and the Delaware Arts Alliance (DAA), recognized graduating seniors who will pursue arts-related fields in college or professional careers. Honorees represented schools from across Delaware and are heading into programs in music, dance, theater, visual arts, film, design, and education.

The ceremony featured remarks from Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts Jessica Ball, Representative Mara Gorman (D-23rd), and Executive Director of the Delaware Arts Alliance Neil Kirschling. Each honoree received a graduation cord, two certificates of recognition, presented jointly on behalf of DDOA, DDOE, and DAA and from the Delaware State Senate, along with a commemorative gift. The evening also featured a video reflection of artistic performances by students and a reception catered by the culinary program from Dover High School.

Access a recording of the night.

Access photos of the evening by Moonloop Photography.

Secretary of Education Cindy Marten spoke directly to the assembled students, drawing on nearly four decades in education to reframe what an arts education means in the workforce.

“Ask any employer: They don’t hire a test score,” Marten said. “They hire a person. They hire someone who can think, create, reason, and communicate their thoughts with conviction, someone who can collaborate and solve problems they’ve never seen before. That is exactly what you do every single day.”

Marten also shared that the Delaware Certificate of Arts Excellence, a formal credential to be noted on high school diplomas, recognizing sustained engagement and achievement in the arts, had passed both chambers of the Delaware legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. It is set to take effect beginning with the 2027–2028 school year.

“This credential recognizes something Delaware’s students deserve to hear clearly: Your creativity, your discipline, and your artistic excellence have real value. We see you. We believe in you. And we want you to keep going,” Marten said.

Dozens of incarcerated students earn high school diplomas

Department of Correction and Department of Education host commencement ceremonies to recognize, celebrate student achievement.

Twenty-seven students dressed in cap and gown were awarded their high school diplomas Thursday during commencement ceremonies held in the prison chapels of Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution (BWCI) and Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI). Graduates were joined by nearly 100 family members and community supporters, correctional officers and staff, prison education teachers, Department of Education leaders, and fellow incarcerated residents who came together to celebrate their hard work and achievement.

This month’s high school graduates are among the 42 incarcerated students ranging in age from 18 to 64 who earned Groves Adult High School diplomas across Delaware’s four state prisons during this past academic year.

Because many individuals enter prison without graduating from high school, assessments are used to measure education and literacy levels and guide enrollment in prison education courses that best address individual needs, help them meet grade-level benchmarks, drive completion of a high school diploma or GED, and set them on course to earn additional academic and vocational credentials. Incarcerated students may set a goal to earn a GED, a nationally recognized high school equivalency certification, by demonstrating that they meet basic state eligibility requirements in mathematics, science, reading language arts and social studies. Across Delaware prisons during the 2025-2026 school year, nearly 100 incarcerated students passed certification exams and earned a GED. Students may also choose to pursue a Groves Adult High School diploma which represents a more rigorous years-long course of academic studies by completing required classes and accumulating credits just as in a traditional high school setting. Together, these student achievements prove that it is never too late to complete high school and pursue continuing education to build new skills.

“I want you to know that I believe in you because, in my life, the people I respect and admire most are those who have set a goal and achieved it, especially those who have faced unimaginable and unintended challenges and overcome them,” Delaware Secretary of Education Cindy Marten said during the BWCI commencement ceremony. “You have experienced things that so many people have never experienced, and you met the challenge. What I know about you is that you are able to see beyond your current circumstances and believe something into being. You set this goal, you claimed it, you worked for it, and you made it happen. We are very proud of you.”

Delaware grows future teachers from within schools, communities

Delaware is supporting 67 school-based professionals to take the next step toward becoming teachers, strengthening the educator workforce while keeping talented adults connected to the students and communities they already serve.

Earlier this month, the new teacher apprentices, who represent 12 Delaware school districts and charter schools, signed commitments to begin their programs in Fall 2026.

The new cohort includes high school Teacher Academy graduates as well as paraprofessionals and other school-based professionals selected by their districts and charter schools to advance through Delaware’s educator apprenticeship pipeline. Together, they represent the next generation of educators preparing to serve Delaware students and communities.

With the addition of the new cohort, Delaware will support 105 educator apprentices. Across Delaware’s educator pathway initiatives—including the Paraprofessional Registered Occupation (PRO) pathway, K-12 Teacher Apprenticeship, and K-12 Grow Your Own Para-to-Teacher Program—a total of 201 participants have been prepared or are currently preparing to become educators in Delaware schools.

Building Pathways Into Teaching

Delaware’s educator pathways are designed for individuals already working in schools who want to become teachers of record in the districts and charter schools they serve.

Through low-cost or no-cost preparation programs, apprentices continue working with students while completing coursework, receiving mentoring, participating in job-embedded learning, and ultimately serving as teacher residents. The programs provide a structured, earn-and-learn pathway to educator certification while helping schools develop and retain talented educators from within their own communities.

“Every student deserves a great teacher who knows their community, believes in their potential, and is prepared to help them succeed,” Secretary of Education Cindy Marten said. “These apprentices are already serving students in Delaware schools. This pathway honors that experience, removes barriers to becoming a teacher, and helps us grow excellent educators from within the communities they already know and love.”

Educator pathways are a key part of Delaware’s broader effort to strengthen the educator workforce, address staffing challenges, and ensure students have access to excellent teaching in every community.

Sites serving free food are available to children throughout the state this summer while school is out. Beginning this month, the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides healthy meals and snacks to all Delaware children. SFSP sites help ensure kids receive the nutrition they need to continue to grow, learn and play throughout the summer months. 

To find a site in your area:

SFSP is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) oversees local management of the program.

Delaware Department of Education I education.delaware.gov