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Del. tackles educational challenges, 50 schools identified as low-performing

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Del. tackles educational challenges, 50 schools identified as low-performing


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Fifty schools in Delaware are grappling with the weight of low performance, a figure that underscores the pressing challenges within the state’s education system.

Students in these schools are falling behind. For some schools, it’s the majority of the student body that’s struggling. For others, poor performance is more limited to specific subgroups, such as English language learners, students with disabilities or certain racial and ethnic groups.

The state identifies low-performing schools after an accountability calculation conducted annually, which evaluates student performance and categorizes schools into Comprehensive School Improvement or Targeted School Improvement.

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“The difference between them are really whether the whole school, like all students are underperforming – CSI – or whether it is a specific sub-population – TSI,” said Laura Saperstein, the education associate for accountability in the Office of Assessment and Accountability. “In our [Every Student Succeeds Act] plan, we are required to have certain subpopulations like race and ethnicity broken out as well as special populations like students with disability, English language learners.”

“We rank all of the Title 1 schools from the highest to lowest and the bottom 5% are what set our threshold. Now, we do have schools that are non-Title 1s. So if any of them fall below the threshold, they might also be identified,” she added.

Title 1 schools are schools that have 40% or more low-income students, or schools with an low-income percentage that equals or is higher than the district’s low-income percentage, according to the Delaware Department of Education’s website.

The CSI and TSI initiatives were implemented as part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015, which aimed to hold states accountable for public schools serving students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Since then, the Department of Education has utilized a complex identification process through the Delaware School Success Framework, tailored to different school models, including elementary, middle and high school models.

“Within the school success framework, there are four to five indicators that they are being measured on,” Saperstein said. “Within each indicator, there are several measures. So, for example, the academic achievement indicator, the school quality and student success, the graduation indicator, and the growth in early language development, for the kids that are English language learners.”

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Where to find warming centers in Delaware during freezing temps

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Where to find warming centers in Delaware during freezing temps


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As temperatures fall, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services will open multiple warming stations to provide shelter for anyone in need starting Jan. 28.

These stations will offer Delawareans “a safe, warm space to get relief from the cold,” according to a post from the department on the social media platform Facebook issued Jan. 27. 

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Temperatures through Jan. 30 are expected to be below freezing, with another chance of snow predicted for this weekend, according to a recent National Weather Service report.

The warming centers will include facilities located in all three counties, including Wilmington, Dover and Georgetown.  

Here’s what Delawareans should know. 

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Delaware warming stations

New Castle County 

Canby Park Office, 1920 Maryland Ave., Wilmington

Churchman’s Corporate Center, 84 Christiana Road, New Castle

Claymont State Service Center, 3301 Green St., Claymont

Kent County  

James W. Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover 

Smyrna State Service Center, 200 South DuPont Blvd., Suite 101, Smyrna

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Sussex County 

Anna C. Shipley State Service Center, 350 Virginia Ave., Seaford

Laurel State Service Center, 31039 North Poplar St., Laurel

Thurman Adams State Service Center, 546 S. Bedford St. Georgetown

Delaware warming station hours

Stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28. Stations will remain open throughout the remainder of the week, through Jan. 30.

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These centers will provide space to residents in need of “a safe, warm place to go,” according to the Facebook post. 

How to stay warm

With winter now in full force, residents are urged to take the necessary steps to stay safe as the weather turns cold. 

This includes making sure your homes “can be safely heated” and you always have crucial items on hand in case of an emergency, including non-perishable and pet foods, water and medicine.   

Delawareans are also encouraged to have a driving kit in their car this winter.   

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Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.   

Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com.     



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Delaware Senate Democrats oppose more ICE funding after Minneapolis shootings

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Delaware Senate Democrats oppose more ICE funding after Minneapolis shootings


What are journalists missing from the state of Delaware? What would you most like WHYY News to cover? Let us know.

Delaware’s congressional delegation is calling President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown lawless and vowing to oppose more money for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The effort to vote down additional DHS funding this week comes after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, respectively, this month in Minneapolis. Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year old mom, was killed Jan. 7, and Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs intensive care nurse, died at the hands of federal officers last week.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware said federal agents are wreaking havoc on all Americans, and that this is a pivotal moment for the country.

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“It is incumbent upon all of us to do whatever we can in this moment,” she said. “Delawareans, we’re known as a state of neighbors, and I hope that that sentiment stays with us and spreads across the country, because we need it now more than ever.”

The Trump administration, as well as the president himself, have blamed the victims for their deaths. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Good a “domestic terrorist.” She said Pretti was “brandishing a weapon,” although bystander video shows Pretti holding a cellphone and trying to help a woman who had been pepper sprayed. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino said Pretti intended to “massacre law enforcement agents.”

DHS received $75 billion in the massive tax and spending bill Republicans passed this summer, known as the “one big, beautiful bill.” Senators are currently scheduled to vote Thursday on six “minibus” appropriation bills to fund the government. If those fail, a partial government shutdown could begin as soon as midnight Friday. Senate Democrats want the DHS funding bill to get a separate vote from the other bills.



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Delaware needs to take care of littering

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Delaware needs to take care of littering


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To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.



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