Although varying among and within the states, the percentage of students with 504 plans is steadily and significantly increasing as a national average. Although the professional literature addresses the legal standards for eligibility for 504 plans, it has not provided up-to-date information to practitioners as to the legal standard for the…

Physical education is critical to addressing childhood obesity, yet many school-based programs do not meet established quality standards and teachers are called upon to change. Little is known about how change is initiated and its associated internal and external factors. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical education…

Given that work-based learning (WBL) can -- and should be -- a key driver of student career readiness in these efforts, it is essential that all states have a robust work-based learning continuum of experiences and exposure that spans K-16. WBL is an essential element of career and technical education (CTE), and ExcelinEd's CTE Playbook series…

In 2009, district data revealed that new students at Appoquinimink School District (ASD) were struggling academically and socially. Several specific steps were taken to improve the outcomes of these new students. First, an in-depth review of the relevant data regarding new students in the district was conducted. A white paper on relevant research…

Research and professional leadership standards identify specific ways in which principals directly influence school organization and community relationships and exert less direct, but critically important, influence on teaching quality and instructional effectiveness. Principals' roles are central to supporting and supervising teachers'…

Certain aspects of the implementation of language immersion programs in Delaware are unique given the state's size, demographics, and role in national education initiatives including Race to the Top, Common Core, and Smarter Balance. The Delaware experience typifies what every state, district, or even school goes through as they try to provide…

A program was proposed and initiated to involve teachers and administrators of the Smyrna (Delaware) School District in a thorough assessment of their reading programs. Using "Standards of Excellence for Reading in Delaware" and its accompanying checklist as the assessment instrument, committees in each building met with members of the…

This article describes the Laptop Computer Initiative (LCI), a program in a Delaware school district to enhance referral-to-placement practices and to develop individualized education programs for special education students. The six steps in the program's development are recounted and positive results of the LCI, such as increased staff efficiency…

These guidelines address the development and implementation of sound, cost-effective programs of special education, related services, and in-service staff development in Delaware schools. The goals of the guidelines are to provide a stimulus for the state-wide development of: (1) realistic and precise individualized education programs (IEPs) for…

Designed to complement and enrich the existing career education program in the Newark (Delaware) School District, the project reported here was an effort to develop a model that was easily transportable and could be implemented with minimal funding. Objectives were to comprehensively define the existing K-12 career education program in the Newark…

This federally funded Delaware project was designed to provide systematic, periodic consultation and technical assistance statewide to staff serving children and youth who are deaf-blind; provide inservice training activities for staff; provide at least two statewide parent meetings; and develop and conduct summer training institutes on major…