State Board of Education Meeting

November 15, 2018

In the three weeks since that last State Board of Education meeting my Secretary of Education connected
activities have been many and multifaceted. Not only has the diversity been stimulating and rewarding,
but it will also notably impact learning in classrooms across the state.
 Jon Sheehan and I had the opportunity on October 29th to serve with Tennessee’s
Commissioner of Education McQueen as panelists during an hour-long NGA/CCSSO
sponsored nationally broadcast webinar on School Leadership. We highlighted impactful
details such as how Delaware is developing school leaders, how such learning leaders
influence students’ academic growth, how the state has used ESSA to promote leadership
development, and how Governor Carney has strongly supported the preparation of aspiring
leaders as well as the continued professional development of both current building and
district leaders.
 During the “Sussex County Today and Tomorrow Conference” I served on a panel to
update the nearly 500 attendees on the current state of education in lower Delaware.
Naturally much of my “Celebrate the Past, Envision the Future” presentation centered upon
the pathways that now well prepare students for future careers, how they reflect the needs
of the county, and how, although all students aren’t expected to attend college, most
adequately-paying jobs require some kind of postsecondary training such as industry
credentialing, apprenticeships, or associate’s degrees. I invited them to not only visit
schools to view 2018 educational advances but to also consider apprenticeships, and
summer work experiences.
 DOE Cabinet members have been meeting to facilitate the shifting of the Director of the
Autism Program and two autism coaches from Christina SD to DOE as prescribed by HB
292.
 The P-20 Council leadership team met to debrief from the first 2018-19 session and
carefully plan both for the next session and what might be accomplished toward the
identified priorities prior to the January meeting.
 On November 5th, I certified the September 30th Count. For school year 2018-2019,
Delaware officially has 138,666 students, 793 or 0.58% more than last year. This student
growth translates into an increase of 184.64 units, which is 1.81% more than in 2017-2018.
 We have invested significant effort in the past few weeks in finalizing the Department’s
FY20 budget, assuring that it reflects both the Governor’s and the Department’s priorities.
 The final adjustments dedicate more of the Department’s funds to Opportunity Funding.
Reading and math instruction enhancement, Career Pathways Workforce intermediaries,
early childhood initiatives, yearlong residencies, the DOE-directed statewide autism
program, EL services, and safety and security are other budget highlights. We will share
specific details after we present the budget to the Office of Management and Budget during
a public hearing on November 20th.
 School accountability ratings were announced On November 7th along with the list of
Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement
schools. The state has eight CSI schools among which $3.4 million federal dollars will be
divided to provide services and supports identified via a needs assessment. TSI schools,
which each have at least one subgroup performing at a level below the CSI schools’ “all”
group, will receive approximately $100,000 of state funds to address the needs of the
subgroup. I have attached a one-pager that provides greater insight into the ESSA-related
identifications as well as this link Delaware School Success Framework results that
highlights the schools that earned Exceeds Expectations ratings and which notes the
schools that have qualified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement and Targeted
Support and Improvement.
 Although this month’s G.E.A.R. (Government Efficiency and Accountability Review)
Committee meeting featured Health Care Systems and P3 the agencies are collectively
preparing the annual report for the Governor. Several potential educational cost-saving
measures will be included for exploration.
 Yesterday several DOE leaders and I met representatives from the Department of Human
Resource, which is in the process of centralizing services for all state agencies. Since the
Department of Education is a non-merit agency while all other Cabinet agencies are merit
ones, such centralization poses significant challenges and will thus probably be postponed
for several years.
 This month I also
o Participated in a WDDE interview regarding the accountability ratings.
o Presented to and engaged in DOE dialogue with members for the Smyrna- Clayton
Rotary at their November breakfast meeting.
o Visited Indian River’s Sussex Central High School and Cape Henlopen’s Milton
Elementary, Rehoboth Elementary, and H.O. Brittingham Elementary schools.
 o Introduced Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce leadership program
participants to the vison, mission, goals, organization, and initiatives of the
Department during an hour-long session at Delaware State University.
o Formed another staff “advisory” group comprised of Education Associates and
Education Specialists to further enhance communication in the Department.
o Shared information at the November Chiefs’ meeting.
o Met with ETS representatives regarding AP, PSAT and SAT assessments and data.
o Held a Charter School Liaison Meeting.
o Attended the Charter School Awards Ceremony.
 Lastly, I have a request. In an effort to provide continued stakeholder engagement in the
implementation of the Delaware ESSA plan, we are re-establishing an Advisory
Committee. This committee will be comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders who are
interested in ensuring excellent educational opportunities for all Delaware’s students. The
Advisory Committee will meet publicly at least twice a year to review the Department’s
progress toward meeting the goals established in the state’s ESSA plan. We would like to
include a member of the State Board of Education, whose name I ask that you consider and
vote on at the December meeting.

Susan Bunting, Ed.D.

Secretary of Education