Delaware’s Playbook: A Signal for What’s Possible in Teacher Preparation and Literacy

A Signal for What’s Possible

The 2025 Delaware Teacher Pathways Showcase wasn’t just a convening. As Michael Saylor, Director of Educator Excellence at the Delaware Department of Education, described it, the goal was to “Share. Learn. Get Inspired.” What unfolded was more than that. It was a signal.

A signal that system-level transformation in teacher preparation isn’t theoretical—it’s already underway and positioned for rapid statewide expansion. That expanding access to the profession must be matched by a deep focus on candidate readiness. And that addressing long-standing student learning challenges requires investing in how teachers are developed.

Delaware isn’t standing still. It’s moving with intention—through policy, partnership, and preparation systems designed to drive meaningful, lasting change.

The Literacy Crisis: Delaware and the Data Demand More

Delaware isn’t avoiding the hard challenges. One of the clearest takeaways from the 2025 Teacher Pathways Showcase was how openly state and institutional leaders acknowledged the depth of the literacy crisis—and their shared responsibility for solving it. Several speakers and panelists throughout the day pointed to the need for honest, systems-level reflection on current conditions and the bold steps required to drive lasting change.

The data underscores the urgency. According to the 2024 Nation’s Report Card, gaps in literacy by race, income, and gender remain largely unchanged since 1998, and:

• Only 26 percent of DE 4th Grade students read at or above Proficient; 45 percent scored below Basic.
• Just 23 percent of DE 8th Grade students reached Proficient; 41 percent scored below Basic.

These results aren’t anomalies—they are the predictable outcomes of preparation systems that have not fully aligned with how students actually learn to read. Too often, teacher preparation and P–12 instruction operate in silos, disconnected from the structured, evidence-based practices that research shows make a difference.

Delaware is responding differently. Through strategic investments in pathways, preparation systems, and instructional alignment, the state is making it clear: improving literacy outcomes begins with how teachers are prepared—not just how they perform.

Pathways With Purpose: Delaware’s Approach to Statewide Infrastructure

Delaware is addressing its educator workforce challenge not with scattered programs, but through a coordinated, statewide strategy. The state is developing multiple entry points into the profession—each grounded in rigorous preparation, aligned to workforce needs, and designed to scale sustainably.

As Senator Laura Sturgeon noted during the Showcase’s opening session, “We don’t have time to wait.” That urgency is evident in both the design and the rapid expansion of Delaware’s pathway system. Here’s where Delaware is currently investing in preparation pathways:

These aren’t isolated initiatives—they’re a coordinated infrastructure, intentionally built to meet Delaware’s long-term talent needs. 

At Delaware Technical Community College, access isn’t just structural—it’s financial. Through the SEED+ Scholarship, most eligible students can earn an associate degree tuition-free and apply for a third year of funding toward a bachelor’s degree. This dramatically reduces, and in many cases eliminates, tuition debt for aspiring educators—especially those who begin their journey through community college.

In parallel, Delaware is investing in a statewide residency hub and strategic staffing initiative, led by the Delaware Department of Education in collaboration with all five educator preparation programs and cohorts of participating school districts. Each partnership moves through a structured design year followed by implementation, embedding yearlong teacher residencies into district staffing strategies. As part of this model, candidates receive residency stipends ranging from $20,000 to $25,000, with some districts offering up to $45,000 in exchange for serving in high-need school roles while completing their final year of preparation. These structured roles are designed to support candidate development and ensure they are ready to lead classrooms on day one.

SEED+ and strategic staffing in residency hubs are making it possible for many candidates to enter the profession with a bachelor’s degree, deep clinical experience, and no tuition debt.

Delaware is serious about teacher preparation, and EdPrep Partners applauds the momentum. As Dana Davisson, Clinical Practice Director of Relay Delaware, reflected, “[In Delaware] we’re showing the country what’s possible when state, higher ed, and districts and charters play the long game - collaborating and problem solving now in order to support and retain high quality, more diverse educators next year and for years to come.”

Pathways for Impact: Designing for Quality 

Even the most accessible pathway won’t lead to impact if the preparation within it isn’t aligned to instructional rigor—especially in literacy and math.

Delaware understands this. Its approach is not only about expanding who enters the profession, but transforming what they experience once they do. The state’s model reinforces a broader truth: improving student outcomes starts with improving teacher preparation—and that requires deep, structural work across programs, pathways, and partnerships.

At EdPrep Partners, we walk alongside educator preparation programs to build, strengthen, and scale what works. We don’t prescribe from a distance. We partner deeply—helping institutions bring promising models to life with clarity, quality, and sustainability.

We support EPPs to:

• Define and implement research-based program models across coursework, clinical practice, and developmental supports.
• Develop and coach teacher educators—faculty, field supervisors, and program leaders—to deliver rigorous instruction and meaningful feedback.
• Scale strong pathways—traditional, residency, or internship—without sacrificing quality.

Our work is grounded in a clear, evidence-aligned preparation framework, including:

• Program Leadership & Continuous Improvement:
  A shared instructional vision and developmental trajectory for candidates, reinforced by clear structures, processes, and performance-based decision-making.
• Candidate Preparation & Development:
  Practice-based candidate development that moves candidates from analysis, to rehearsal, to enactment of core pedagogical methods and content-pedagogies.
• Teacher Educator Practices:
  Embedded, high-impact coursework facilitation and clinical coaching, and delivered consistently across faculty, field supervisors, and mentors.
• District & Program Partnerships:
  Strong site-based mentor and leadership support, enabled by shared ownership and aligned staffing strategies between EPPs and P–12 partners.

A Challenge—and a Playbook

Delaware isn’t claiming to have solved every problem. In fact, quite the contrary—it knows where the challenges are, and it’s working with urgency to address them. The state is willing to confront those problems directly and invest in the systems required to solve them.

There’s a playbook emerging in the First State and we should all be watching closely. For states, institutions, and systems across the country, the lessons are clear:

• Expand access without lowering expectations—ensure standards are defined, embedded, and reinforced at every level.
• Design pathways that scale and sustain—build strong systems and enable local reallocation to support long-term viability.
• Invest in teacher educators, not just candidate completion—prioritize the development of those who deliver preparation.
• Align preparation to what P-12 students truly need—with a clear focus on foundational skills needed for teachers and students alike to succeed in literacy & math.

At EdPrep Partners, we’re proud to support Delaware and ready to walk alongside others committed to doing this work with depth, urgency, and long-term vision.

Let’s make teacher preparation better—together.

Calvin J. Stocker 

Founder & CEO, EdPrep Partners