About This Project
The University of Delaware’s School Success Center (SSC), housed within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), is a strategic partner dedicated to ensuring that educators, schools and districts grow together. We have served Delaware educators for over a decade. Our mission is to impact student achievement by dismantling systemic barriers and customizing capacity-building services that foster sustainable, high-impact change.
We believe true partnership is built on mutual respect, shared goals and sustained effort. Partnership is not transactional. It’s relational. We don’t just offer expertise. We co-create solutions with schools and districts.
Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL)
Gifts to the SSC DASL department will support the Dr. Marion Proffitt Women Leading Delaware Education Initiative, honoring her legacy of investment in women in leadership, mentoring, and advocacy. This initiative will establish a statewide leadership program in the University of Delaware College of Education & Human Development to strengthen and retain women in executive education leadership and expand their collective impact. Funding will support needs assessment to inform the design of an executive leadership model and development of high-impact professional learning with embedded peer and mentorship networks. This is a strategic investment in Delaware’s education leaders and the communities they serve.
Professional Development Center for Educators
Your support for our Professional Development Center for Educators will benefit programs such as:
- The Research to Practice Series, which aims to provide low-cost, time-efficient professional learning tailored to districts' needs. The Research to Practice Webinars are led by staff members of the School Success Center. Each webinar fosters and promotes educators as instructional leaders, leading to immediate classroom and school application. Your donation will improve outcomes for students in Delaware communities by increasing educators' ability to use evidence-based practices aligned with the sciences of learning, making learning acquisition equitable for ALL students.
- Our UD Graduates in Math Education initiative, which focuses on coaching recent graduates who enter the teaching field. The first year of teaching is often the hardest with 44% of teachers leaving the profession within the first five years. Our goal is to offer professional and emotional support during these challenging years and strengthen the workforce of educators. This would also draw people to UD programs knowing that support extends past their graduations. Your gift will support University graduates to partner with veteran math educators to engage in ongoing mentoring meetings and provide no-cost professional learning to first-year teachers in Delaware schools.
- The Literacy and Math Professional Learning initiative, which provides middle school educators and preservice teachers with content-focused professional learning through collaborative workshops with experts from the SSC. In a low-stakes summer camp setting, teachers practice and refine evidence-based literacy and math strategies while working directly with students. This experience allows educators to apply and reflect on high-impact instructional practices before implementing them in their classroom this fall, thus impacting student learning outcomes with access to equitable, evidence-based strategies.
- The Educator Success Network, which is building equity‑driven educator communities that strengthen teaching, learning, and leadership across Delaware. Your support helps create sustained, collaborative professional learning that equips teachers to improve instruction and expand opportunities for students who have been historically underserved. By investing in educator networks, you’re providing the time, resources, and coaching teachers need to lead meaningful change. Together, we can elevate teacher leadership and build a more equitable education system statewide.
How your support makes a difference!
Because of donors like you…
- Both veteran and novice educators can access affordable, evidence-based, high-quality professional learning that helps them meet their students' needs.
- University of Delaware graduates entering their first year of teaching in Delaware schools will receive ongoing professional learning and mentorship to navigate the complexities of modern classrooms and the critical transition from student to practitioner
- Women leading Delaware’s schools and districts will gain the executive-level development, strategic network, and professional support they deserve.
- Educators gain the space and support to collaborate, lead, and transform learning for Delaware students. Because of your generosity, we can build a statewide network that turns teacher expertise into lasting, equitable change.
