Accountability

Educators in Delaware schools, district offices, and the Department of Education have worked hard to accomplish much since the early 1990's. Collaborative efforts have produced content standards, performance indicators, standards for administrators and teachers, a testing program based on the content standards, and an accountability system for students, schools, and districts.

Across all of these accomplishments is one primary purpose: increasing student achievement.  The basis of accountability was to measure consistent improvement of all student groups while also marking advancements in closing the achievement gap. 

With the re-passing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, otherwise known as "No Child Left Behind (NCLB)", by Congress, the issues and emphasis has had to change to focus more on more detail in the disaggregated subgroups.  Delaware was in a better position than many other states because the work that had been done in the previous decade was data, standards and outcome oriented.  The State had invested significant dollars in producing  Delaware standards and the assessments to measure those standards, but also in the statewide technology to utilize the data for the best outcomes for our students.  All of this work allowed our standards to fold into the federal requirements with less trauma than many other states encountered.

Performance levels have been set for all curricular domains that are tested.  The consequences for students, school and districts have been modified to comply with the federal law.  Graduation and promotion requirements have been revised and codified.  The Delaware Department of Education has encouraged continuous review of the accountability plan that has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Leaders in our state have been very involved in national leadership and conversations regarding possibilities for adjustments that better evaluate student achievement.  Our current Secretary of Education in Delaware, Ms. Valerie Woodruff, has been elected as the President of the National Chief State School Officers Association.  One of the members of the Delaware State Board of Education, Dr. Claibourne Smith, has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Boards of Education.  A member of DSBA has served on the Board of Directors of the National School Boards Association for the past nine years.  Their voices in the national debate is invaluable for Delaware to lead the issues that will best enhance the work that has been done thus far. 

Challenges Ahead

There are continual issues facing education in Delaware that must have attention, even though we have accomplished so much.  The issues of inadequate federal funding for the mandates of accountability under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act continue to be problematic for the local districts.  Additionally, the continued underfunding of the costs of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) must also be addressed.

This year, Winter 2006, the local districts are facing unparalleled costs for energy - both for managing the buildings and for transportation - that are eroding local funds.  In April, 2006, the prices of electricity becomes unregulated.  Education constituencies throughout the State are engaging in conversations to conserve  energy as well as addressing sufficient support.  The need for addressing this situation is so that the districts can preserve funds to address advanced education initiatives in the classrooms.

The student populations in our public school systems continues to increase.  Districts like Appoquinimink, Smyrna, Capital and Caesar Rodney have seen particularly large increases in the past five years.  These increases have created difficulties in building expansions and new building development.  The vast majority of the Delaware Bond Bill is devoted to current school construction.  With the massive increase in supplies, energy and labor costs in the past several years, the issues of adequate funding has had the attention of the school districts and the legislature.  All of this comes at a time when the capital needs of the other state agencies must also be addressed.

Conversations with educators across the state have continued for the past five years regarding the appropriate vehicle to fairly evaluate educators in the state, using standards and data to support effective teaching.  The Delaware Performance Appraisal System (DPAS) is now in a pilot year in two school districts. 

The revised DPAS will contribute to Delaware's standards-based education and goal of improving student achievement. Likewise, it will be another significant statewide accomplishment for enhanced educational opportunities for the students of Delaware.

More information about educator accountability is available on the Department of Education's website: http://www.doe.state.de.us.

What Happens Next in Delaware?

Within the next few years, we will be addressing adequate funding.  The work of the Delaware Public Policy Institute has indicated that consideration for a funding system that addresses the specific needs of our students and our schools.  Broad discussions have been held across the state in 2006 through the work of the Vision 2015 Committee.

Look for upcoming editions of Accountability Notes on the Department's website and in schools and district offices.

sfrancis@edsba.org