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- EIN 51-0371355
- (302) 397-0034
- 100 W 10th St Ste 612 Wilmington DE 19801-6604 USA
- http://www.dfsme.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Science & Technology, Technology
Mission: Dfsme is a business-education-community-government partnership dedicated to catalyzing delaware's preparation of a globally competitive workforce with mathematics and science skills second to none. The foundation advocates for adoption of world-class standards; enables the exploration, evaluation, adaptation, and implementation of innovative and effective mathematics and science programs in delaware public schools; and focuses on improving the performance of all delaware students so that they finish high school ready for college career, and success in the global economy.
Programs: Student services - dfsme identified, piloted, and continues to support the science curriculum used in all public school districts in delaware. The curriculum produces significant reductions in achievement gaps between low-income/non-low income, white/african american, and white/hispanic groups. A center built and named after dfsme founder, john w. Collette is a central location for the science program, providing a venue for high-quality professional development relative to concepts in delaware's science standards and performance indicators, and offers teachers opportunties to access new technologies. The center pools state budget appropriations, federal grants and competitive grants to purchase large quantities of equipment and materials at a discount. It also houses, replenishes, and distributes thousands of science kits used throughout the state in this program. The center provides a home for the delaware science coalition and the delaware math coalition. Both alliances of key members in delaware's government, business and educational communities were initiated and founded by dfsme in partnership with the state department of education. Dfsme's director serves on the executive committee of both coalitions. Using the same model that proved successful in science, dfsme identified, piloted, and is now supporting the roll-out of a world class mathematics curriculum. The curriculum is based on the philosophy that informs math programs in nations whose students consistently score at the top in international comparisions of math proficieny. The curriculum is expected to produce substantial increases in student math achievement, reductions in achievement gaps, and changes in teacher and student attidues toward math. The foundation also is supporting training designed to increase teachers' math content knowledge, model best-practices in delivering content to students, familiarize teachers with new common core state math standards, and assist in effective planning and execution of lessons.