Policy and Practice Institute 2026
UD hosts 24th annual professional learning conference for nearly 550 Delaware educators with state and local partners
In partnership with the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) and the Delaware Association of School Administrators, UD’s School Success Center (SSC) and Partnership for Public Education (PPE), housed within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), welcomed nearly 550 educators to the 24th annual Policy and Practice Institute on June 17, 2026, at Dover High School in Dover, Delaware.
The conference is Delaware’s premier networking and professional learning event for educators, school leaders and policymakers. With practical tools and resources, this year’s event enabled participants to create engaging and effective learning opportunities for Delaware students. Sessions focused on building school, family and community partnerships, recruiting and retaining educators and more. Participants also enjoyed Delaware TIDE talks, fast-paced and creative presentations meant to trailblaze, innovate, discover and empower.
“We were honored to co-host this annual convening of early childhood, K-12, and higher education leaders,” said Alison Travers, associate director of SSC’s Delaware Academy of School Leadership. “This year’s program featured celebration of growth across the past school year alongside collaborative presentations by Delaware educators featuring their research and practice. It was a wonderful opportunity to share and learn from one another across the state.”
The event also included opening remarks from CEHD Dean Rena Hallam, remarks from Cindy Marten, DDOE secretary of education, and a panel with DDOE cabinet members. For the first time this year, the event also included a plenary discussion with Marten, inviting questions and comments about Delaware education and policy from educators in the audience.
“Secretary Marten reminded us that summer is a time for reflection and forward thinking, and the session was designed to embody that spirit by creating space for meaningful dialogue about the opportunities ahead for Delaware’s schools,” said Annastasia Purinton, director of the PPE. “We were also inspired by her comment that the expertise needed to support Delaware’s students was in the room, which affirmed our belief that continued collaboration is key to creating strong outcomes for all of Delaware’s students.”
Rick Miller, professor of practice at Arizona State University and founder of Kids at Hope, gave the event’s keynote address, sponsored by the DDOE Educator Excellence Workgroup. Titled “HOPE Science,” the address shared Miller’s research on the power of hope to promote student success in K-12 and higher education.
Purinton expressed gratitude for the continued ability to partner with Delaware educators and policymakers throughout the state.
“This event offers a powerful opportunity to highlight collaborations that amplify the impact of research in policy and practice because they are done in partnership with educators and leaders across our state,” Purinton said. “I am grateful to continue contributing to this gathering and to be part of what I think of as the state’s annual education family reunion.”
CEHD’s Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) was just one of the many UD units, faculty and staff members to partner with Delaware educators during the Policy and Practice Institute. In addition to partnerships with other Delaware districts, CDS has been partnering with Red Clay Consolidated School District leaders, who are engaged in a districtwide integration of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for their students. Together, Brigid Dux and Megan Pell of CDS and Tawanda Bond and Sarah Celestin of Red Clay presented on advancing integrated MTSS through partnership.
About the School Success Center
Launched in 2022, the SSC partners with teachers and administrators in public, charter and independent schools and offers a systemic approach to improving student and school outcomes. The SSC is unique in partnering with both teachers and administrators on the same improvement strategies to ensure that teachers, schools and districts grow together.
In addition to providing differentiated coaching services for school and district leaders, the SSC offers expert-facilitated professional learning programs in literacy instruction, math instruction and multi-tiered systems of support, focusing on student screening, diagnostic assessment, intervention design, progress monitoring and more.
To partner with the SSC, visit its website.
About the Partnership for Public Education
Since 2015, PPE has leveraged UD expertise, evaluation, professional development and advocacy resources to support Delaware’s public education system and foster sustainable partnerships with Delaware’s public education stakeholders.
PPE aims to expand UD’s research impact, recognizing that research in education is often underused nationwide. To achieve this goal, PPE aims to identify, mobilize and optimize UD research to directly address critical needs in Delaware’s education system in ways that have measurable impacts on Delaware’s P-12 policy and practice.
To learn more about PPE, visit its website.
Header image caption: Megan Pell and Dana Farrior of CDS present on multi-tiered systems of supports for students at Dover High School with Brittany Hazzard and Garret George of Capital School District at the 2026 Policy and Practice Institute.
Article by Jessica Henderson. Photos by Jordyn Clifton.