Hundreds Join the Conversation at Eighth Annual Conference

The Vision Coalition of Delaware would like to extend a sincere thanks to all who attended the Eighth Annual Conference on Education last week at Clayton Hall at the University of Delaware.

More than 300 policymakers, parents, educators, and community members stopped by to follow-up and discuss Student Success 2025, a 10-year plan for Delaware education released by the coalition last month.

For a Twitter Storify on how the day unfolded, click here.

Steven Godowsky gave introductory remarks at the conference as Delaware’s acting Secretary of Education, but was officially confirmed to the position later that day by the Delaware State Senate. Delaware Governor Jack Markell addressed the crowd during the afternoon session, speaking about the state’s Stars Quality Rating and Improvement System, and Career Pathways programs. Michael Cohen, president of Washington, D.C.-based Achieve, provided perspective on Delaware’s place in the national landscape.

Other national-level experts—including Brad Jupp, a senior program adviser for the U.S. Department of Education, and Daniel Thatcher, a senior policy specialist for the National Conference of State Legislatures—took part in six unique action groups, which corresponded to the six core areas of Student Success 2025. Participants from each action group worked to develop strategies to implement the recommendations found in the plan.

For a recap of the Early Learning action group session, click here.
For a recap of the Personalized Learning action group session, click here.
For a recap of the Postsecondary Success action group session, click here.
For a recap of the Educator Support and Development action group session, click here.
For a recap of the System Governance, Alignment, and Performance action group session, click here.
For a recap of the Fair and Efficient Funding action group session, click here.

Attendees also lent their voices heard throughout the day by responding to questions on PollEV.

Every voice mattered, and will continue to matter as Delaware continues on with this work. These conversations were just the beginning, and we need your help to move this vision forward. These priorities will be taken under serious consideration by the Vision Coalition Leadership Team, as they continue on the path toward implementation.

During the morning plenary, a slate of guest panelists discussed how many of the recommendations are already taking shape in Delaware, and forging positive impacts. Speakers during “Building on What Works” included Elizabeth Lockman, the director of Parent Advocacy Council for Education (PACE), and Dale Brown, principal of Booker T. Washington Elementary School in Dover.

The Vision Coalition will continue to engage Delawareans throughout the coming months. Beginning next month, Leadership Team members will host open-format “Coalition Coffees” around the state, to offer Delawareans a chance to talk about issues. The first Coalition Coffee will be held at the Dover Public Library on November 9th.