Delaware

Want to make Delaware schools better? Do it yourself – with First State Educate’s help

Published

7 months ago

October 22, 2025

Want to make Delaware schools better? Do it yourself – with First State Educate’s help

The more Patty Maull thought about running for a seat on her school board, the more she realized it was the right thing to do. It was her chance to stand up and lead the push for better Cape Henlopen schools, much as she’d always advocated for her daughters’ education.

She sensed she could win, but in those early days she wondered: How does a hair stylist from Rehoboth learn what it takes to be a school board member? Where can a passionate parent go for a crash course in endlessly complex school systems?

“There were so many times I was like, ‘Oh, what am I doing?’” Maull said. “I felt like it was crazy to run.”

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Thinking about running for school board? If you’re ready to step up, First State Educate will provide the tools, training, and support needed to run and to serve with confidence from day one.

She found answers to those initial questions she had – and new ones that she didn’t even know she had – with First State Educate, which has been supporting aspiring school board candidates through the process since 2020.

“They were always available to answer my questions, which was such a huge help,” said Maull, who would go on to beat out two rivals in her race for the Cape Henlopen board in May 2025.

First State Educate’s strong conviction underlies their mission: That Delaware’s students deserve the best leaders, and that those leaders achieve the best outcomes when they are prepared, confident and committed.

“We’re empowering the community and building systems and processes where they can stand up and be part of the movement to make Delaware public schools some of the best in the nation,” said Julia Keleher, executive director of First State Educate. “We’re just facilitating success.”

From 2023 to 2025, First State Educate trained or supported nearly a third of Delaware’s school board members, in 16 of the state’s 19 districts.

Children motivated Patty Maull to run for the school board, and First State Educate made sure she arrived prepared.

“In a way, we’re working to bring the public back into public education,” added Yvonne Johnson, a school board consultant for First State Educate.

And the public has a standing invitation to share in First State Educate’s resources, whether they’re running for a seat or not. Online discussion groups that are part of First State Educate’s “Knowledge Hub” let parents and community members stay abreast of such hot button issues as school taxes and safety.

It’s designed to keep Delawareans informed about their schools – but also to inspire deeper engagement and action.

“We encourage anyone who is considering running for their school board to take that chance,” Keleher said. “Just raise your hand, and we will be there to support you.”

Inside the Knowledge Hub, aspiring candidates can take online courses that give them a solid grounding in the complex world of school budgets to financial audits. There’s an entire section devoted to “onboarding” newly elected board members, smoothing their post-election transition, and giving them a boost of confidence and some critical knowledge.

“Working with First State Educate has allowed me to cut the learning curve substantially,” said Brandywine school board member Brian Jordan.

“Working with First State Educate has allowed me to cut the learning curve substantially,” said recently elected Brandywine school board member Brian Jordan. “That’s important, because the community has invested its trust and tax dollars to our care.”

The learning doesn’t stop once election results are in. The Knowledge Hub is open to everyone invested in Delaware’s schools — parents, educators, community advocates, and board candidates alike. Each digital badge or micro-credential recognizes real learning and leadership growth, offering flexible ways to showcase expertise and readiness to make an impact.

Each month, “Board Matters” sessions dive deep into the school system’s inner workings. And every Thursday morning, experts examine topics in depth on the “Leading Together” podcast.

With help from First State Educate, Susan Sander won a seat on the Red Clay Consolidated board, and is now vice president.

“The Knowledge Hub is a great place for learning through fellowship, and sharing new ideas,” said Susan Sander, who earned a seat on the Red Clay Consolidated board in May, and is already its vice president. “There is just so much to learn about the workings of a district, and the roles of a board member.”

Maull can second that notion – and vouch for First State Educate’s reliable support system. “Being able to pick their brains was great,” she said. “‘And it’s nice to have so much available through the Knowledge Hub, so I can go back if I’m confused about something, and find a course that helps.”

Even entire school boards are benefitting from First State Educate’s expertise and commitment. Mini-grants awarded by the organization are focused on giving boards the resources to strengthen governance, test new ideas, and model effective practices. FSE scholarships open the door for board members to get advanced training, and explore opportunities to mentor others.

“It’s all done to ensure that Delaware benefits from strong, informed, and representative leadership,” Keleher said. “When boards govern well, districts perform better. Better district performance leads to higher student achievement. And that’s what it’s all really about, our children and their futures.”

Delaware

Thomas Jefferson University to run Delaware’s first medical school

Published

8 hours ago

June 3, 2026

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Thomas Jefferson University to run Delaware’s first medical school

Thomas Jefferson University is opening a regional campus of its Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Delaware, an effort that will result in the state’s first medical school.

Jefferson beat out three other bidders to establish the four-year program in partnership with the state. The other bidders were the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico, Spotlight Delaware reported.

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The inaugural class of 40 medical students will begin instruction in July 2028. Initially, the campus will be based at the University of Delaware in Newark, with Jefferson faculty providing instruction. A permanent home for the campus is still being finalized, the Inquirer reported.

The medical students will receive 18 months of preclinical training on campus before receiving clinical training from healthcare providers in Delaware’s southern counties, where the state’s physician shortage is most deeply felt. That shortage is compounded by an aging population, Delaware officials said.

“Jefferson is committed to being part of the solution to Delaware’s physician shortage,” Jefferson CEO Dr. Joseph Cacchione said in a statement. “We are proud to help build a future where every Delawarean has access to the care they deserve. Jefferson is all in.”

The school’s creation is being supported by $157.4 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Delaware is one of three states without a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program. Since the late 1960s, Jefferson and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine have reserved seats for Delaware students.

“Sidney Kimmel Medical College has trained generations of physicians for more than 200 years, more than any other medical college in the country,” Said Ibrahim, dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, said in a statement. “It is a privilege to bring our mission to Delaware’s patients and communities.”

Jefferson has announced several expansions recently. The university is establishing a full-time doctor of nursing practice-nurse anesthesia program and several online graduate programs at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Center for Healthcare Education in Lehigh County. It also is opening a satellite respiratory therapy lab at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown.

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Delaware

Delaware is getting its first medical school, with classes set to start in 2028

Published

18 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

Delaware is getting its first medical school, with classes set to start in 2028

Delaware officials said medical students will start their classroom instruction at UD and then do their clinical training at offices and health care systems in Kent and Sussex counties, where the shortage of doctors is most acute.

However, ChristianaCare, which has its own partnership with Jefferson, is not participating. The state’s largest health care system was part of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s unsuccessful bid to operate the school. In a joint statement from ChristianaCare and PCOM, the two organizations expressed disappointment with not being part of the consortium of higher education institutions and healthcare organizations.

“The path forward raises genuine questions about whether the school’s goals can be fully realized without ChristianaCare’s meaningful participation in its clinical training mission,” it said. “The success of any four-year medical program depends not just on an academic institution, but on a true and committed partnership with its clinical partners — one built on shared mission, mutual investment and trust developed over time.”

Students in the first class can get their tuition subsidized, covering all of their education costs, in exchange for an agreement to work in rural Delaware for five years.

Running the medical school is expected to cost Jefferson $78 million over the next five years. The money is from a federal rural health grant through the Rural Health Transformation Program, which congressional Republicans created in the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.”

The program will give $50 billion to every state over five years, though exactly the total each will eventually receive is unclear. Half of the money is to be distributed equally to states and the other half is awarded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services based on a variety of factors.

The state applied for $1 billion late last year to improve health care in Kent and Sussex counties. The Trump administration has so far allocated Delaware $157 million. Delaware is expected to receive at least $500 million over the life of the fund.

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