1. Delaware schools shape the next generation of leaders.
An increasing number of private schools around Delaware are focusing on service learning and other character-building experiences as part of their curriculum. Schools such as Salesianum and Tower Hill send students on service trips abroad as well as in local communities. Tower Hill’s class of 2016 logged 4,000 community service hours.
2. Delaware’s universities see record enrollment.
Amid a national slump in college enrollment, the First State’s flagship institutions continue to thrive. While nearly 2.5 million fewer students enrolled nationwide during the 2017–18 academic year, both the University of Delaware and Delaware State University saw record numbers of new students come in. UD experienced a 3 percent jump over the past year, while DSU saw a 2 percent increase.
3. Certificate programs are on the rise.
As a tight job market makes it difficult for employers to find highly qualified personnel, Delaware universities are investing in certificate programs to help professionals hone their qualifications. DSU has nearly 200 certificate programs in place and is hiring further personnel to expand its offerings. Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington provides seven specifically business-oriented certificate offerings. Certificate programs require as little as one or two semesters of coursework and are led by highly specialized experts in their fields, making them a quick talent pipeline for employers.
9,000 high school students are currently participating in the state’s 14 Pathways to Prosperity career programs.
138,371 students were enrolled in Delaware public schools in 2017–18, an 8.4 percent increase since 2009–10.
85.75 percent of the public school students who entered ninth grade in 2013–14 graduated in 2017 —
a record result.
