Political change in the United States has often flowered from the Delaware region. In the earliest days many of the brightest political minds hailed from the area, enacting decisions that rippled across the nation. Belton v. Gebhart, one of the four court cases compressed into the legendary Brown v. Board of Education, originated in Delaware. Belton was the only of these four cases in which the state’s court found for the plaintiffs, ruling segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Today Delaware holds its educational paradigms at high standards and allows some of its school boards to have a say in local taxes.
As of early 2012, new legislation has been introduced in the state that allows veterans to take online classes free of charge in a five-year window after an honorable discharge. Unemployment for veterans has become a political hot-button issue, and many believe that distance education provides a sustainable solution to the problem. Under this still un-named bill, courses taken from online schools in Delaware (at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, and Delaware Technical College) would be paid in full by the state. While the bill has not yet been passed, it certainly illustrates Delaware’s progressive look at education.
With a few highly tuned online high school options available to younger students, the state also caters to the non-uniform learning styles of children. Just like conventional high schools, Delaware’s online schools offer much more than just traditional instruction – they offer extracurricular activities, access to tutoring, and face-to-face mentorship with qualified teachers. These online schools also very in type, from public to Catholic and hybrid online/on-campus degree programs.
Further demonstrating the state’s emphasis on education are the myriad scholarships and financial aid options offered by the government, available to online students as well. Online students can apply for dozens of grants, academic scholarships, and need-based aid through Delaware’s Department of Education web portal. Incentive programs that repay tuition loans are also available for students who enter the fields of nursing, teaching, or general health care.
Many of Delaware's online programs provide certificates, associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree distance learning programs in nursing, engineering, and computer technology. The University of Delaware, specifically, has over 60 financial aid options catered towards online students, including the Continuing Education Scholarship, designed for students over 25.
3700 Lancaster Pike- Suite 105
Wilmington, DE 19805-1511
4601 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19803
320 Dupont Hwy
New Castle, DE 19720
