Delaware communities join initiative to promote school readiness

Fifteen communities are joining a new initiative, Delaware Readiness Team, designed to support local community teams to prioritize school readiness for young children, birth to age 8, and to develop and implement local action teams.

The first teams span all of Delaware’s counties: 18th & Baynard Team of Wilmington; Brandywine Readiness Partnership; Cape Henlopen Community Team; Center City Wilmington Delaware Readiness Team; Delaware Statewide Programs for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind; Lake Forest Readiness Team; Love A Valuable One Now-The Help I Really Deserve, Milford; Lower Sussex Readiness Team; Mt. Pleasant Community Partnership; North Dover Readiness Team; Seaford Readiness Team; Smyrna Clayton Eaglets Readiness Team; South Dover Readiness Team; Team Keene; and Woodbridge Readiness Team.

The initiative is supported by the Delaware Office of Early Learning in cooperation with its managing partner, the Delaware Early Childhood Center. Financed by the Early Learning Challenge in partnership with private foundations and corporations, DEL TEAMS is a statewide initiative that offers a unique opportunity for communities. The focus of the DEL TEAMs is to build strong, mutual linkages between early learning (0-5) and K-12 schools and to support young children’s readiness for school and for life, birth through age 8.

Each Delaware Readiness Team has identified a diverse group of community members to participate, including parents, child care providers, school district staff and other community representatives: healthcare, social services, home visiting, community leaders, etc. After completing a community assessment and action plan, the Delaware Readiness Teams will engage in new strategies to align and coordinate programs and services.