Governor Markell discusses making Delaware more competitive in the effort to hire top teachers. This week, Markell signed into law legislation that implements recommendations made by the Teacher Hiring Task Force (see story here). The new law will create spring student population estimates that the state can use to guarantee school districts 98 percent of their state funding for their teachers. It’s expected that by giving districts earlier funding certainty they will be able to make job offers in the spring and early summer rather than late summer or fall as other states do.
Governor’s Weekly Message
Governor Markell discusses making Delaware more competitive in the effort to hire top teachers.
Full text of Governor Jack Markell’s weekly message:
Great teachers can make a difference that last a lifetime.
They educate, motivate and can be the kind of inspiration that can change someone’s life forever.
If no single factor is more important to our state’s long term economic success than education, it’s hard to imagine a single factor more important to educational success than having a great teacher.
That’s why the competition can be so fierce – between states and between districts – to bring to a particular public school the best recent college graduates.
For a long time, Delaware was at a substantial competitive disadvantage in this area.
State law was written in a way that caused districts to have to hold off on extending offers to great potential candidates until late in the summer or early fall.
It meant great potential teachers who wanted to work in Delaware would have to ignore offers from other states and keep their fingers crossed that the job would be theirs when school started. Then, they might have to scramble to ready for the year.
So many great teachers took that chance and made that decision to commit to Delaware – but they shouldn’t have had to –and– they won’t any more.
The law’s now changed – thanks to the leadership of some great public officials, like our Lt Gov Matt Denn, Senator Dave Sokola and Representatives Schooley, Heffernan, Jacques and Scott – aided by great work from community members of a Teacher Hiring Task Force.
I had the chance to sign these changes into law at a Job Fair for prospective teachers at the University of Delaware. School districts from a number of other states were there, to try and recruit away some of our state’s top talent.
I don’t blame them – when you talk with these future educators, whether it’s from UD or one of our state’s other great colleges, you can’t help but share their optimism for the future.
You can’t help but be inspired – by their desire to serve, by their commitment to the kids that will someday be in their classrooms and by the outstanding preparation they’ve received to get to their own graduation day.
Because so many came together to change the law, districts will be able to identify the best potential talent earlier in the process, make clear their commitment to put those teachers to work, and help make the First State teachers’ first choice.
It’s another way we’re working together to keep Delaware… moving forward.
