Delaware colleges receiving national recognition. How did U.S. News rank our schools?
Some U.S. News & World Report rankings just dropped.
The national outlet released its annual rankings of top law and medical schools last week, joining new 2023-24 graduate school rankings from across the country. This came after top-school boycotts, delay and continued dispute over methodology. Regardless, a couple Delaware schools made the lists.
In local education, summer meal programs are in need of sponsors and meal sites across Delaware.
While mid-May has marked graduations and proms for many in Delaware education news, in this roundup we'll try to catch you up with other headlines you may have missed.
Did we miss another good story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com.
U.S. News announced 2023-24 'Best Graduate Schools.' How did Delaware's fare?
U.S. News & World Report has now released its rankings for “Best Graduate Schools” — covering business, education, engineering, nursing and more. After delay, its best medical and law schools also joined the report. The lists have come with a growing number of critics.
First, how did Delaware's institutions rank?
Education
University of Delaware's School of Education tied for No. 27 in best education schools in the nation. Other Delaware graduate schools were unranked or not present in the U.S. News list.
Nationally, in a tie for the new No. 1 came Columbia University's Teachers College and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania and University of Wisconsin, Madison, each tied at No. 3.
Engineering
Another spot for UD: Its College of Engineering ranked No. 42 for a masters in engineering. It's a program with just over 900 in enrollment, according to U.S. News, and it tied with three counterparts at the University of Rochester, Vanderbilt and Yale Universities.
MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, took the top spot among U.S. engineering programs. Stanford University No. 2 and the University of California, Berkeley, took No. 3.
Business
Lerner College of Business and Economics, also at UD, ranked No. 119 among the best business schools, while other schools in the First State were unranked or not listed among full-time MBA programs.
Nationwide, the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business took the top spot, for the second consecutive year. Northwestern University's Kellogg School took No. 2, and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, came in at No. 3.
Last week: The votes are in — see the Delaware school board election results
Nursing
Looking for a master's in nursing? Emory University moved into the No. 1 spot, with Johns Hopkins University at No. 2 and the University of Pennsylvania at No. 3. If looking at doctor of nursing practice programs, Johns Hopkins University remained at No. 1, while Columbia University, Duke University, Rush University and the University of Washington all tied for No. 2.
The University of Delaware made these lists again, at No. 82 and 83, with its School of Nursing master's and DNP. It's a tight group with 38 and 17 enrollees respectively, according to U.S. News. Other Delaware graduate schools were not ranked.
Law
Widener University-Delaware, tied for No. 175 in best law schools for U.S. News. Enrollment at the Wilmington institution was about 520 students according to the report. It was No. 64-70 in part-time law programs. Its 2019 class had an 84% Bar-passage rate, per U.S. News. Other Delaware schools were not on the list.
A few schools moved around nationally, but the top of the new list likely looks familiar. Yale retained its No. 1 position, in a tie with Stanford. University of Chicago came in at No. 3, while Columbia dropped to eighth place from fourth.
Medicine, research
The nation's top-three medical schools were Harvard, Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania. Joining the top ten were Vanderbilt, Weill Cornell and Washington University in St. Louis. Delaware didn't have any institutions on the list.
ICYMI: Many top schools have boycotted these lists
Many elite law and medical schools, joined by some undergraduate institutions, boycotted the 2023-24 rankings. Refusing to hand over data to U.S. News, many called its rankings unreliable and unfair.
Yale Law School was the first, criticizing ranking methods last November, but several dozen schools would join this very different list. It even forced U.S. News to execute a listening tour across the country to develop new methodology. It would guide the new rankings for law and medicine.
Avoid it all: Here's how to avoid US News rankings and find info on colleges, graduate schools and more.
This year, U.S. News said that for schools declining to provide data, it filled in the blanks using publicly available information. Its likely to keep its critics. Stillman College was the latest of four undergraduate schools to abandon the rankings, as of this month.
But as more schools might jump ship, other sources of information about colleges, and their costs, are available.
Schools need sponsors, meal sites for Summer Food Service program
In more education news, the end of the school year for some students also means the end of their most consistent meals.
One meal program targets such children in economically disadvantaged areas, aiming to make sure they have food during the summer months. The federally funded Summer Food Service Program is now seeking sponsors and meal sites for locations in Delaware.
Sponsors are reimbursed for all meals served free at approved meal sites, the Delaware Department of Education said in a press release, in low-income areas to children 18 years and younger. Sponsors and sites will also receive training.
Lead in water: Delaware spending $3.8M for water filters in schools statewide after elevated lead levels
Who can help?
Sponsors — Units of local government, camps, schools and private nonprofits are eligible to operate a SFSP as sponsors, per DDOE.
Meal sites — Individual sites, such as camps, housing complexes, community centers, parks and homes are eligible to operate as a site under a sponsor. The sponsor would prepare and deliver the meals to the site. Some locations may be served by a food truck, depending on availability. An adult supervisor at the site would be required.
To qualify as an open site that can feed all children, the site must be in an area where 50% or more of the children qualify for free or reduced lunch.
White House appoints Capital School District superintendent to advisory position
Vilicia Cade is not only the CEO and superintendent for Capital School District in Kent County. She now serves on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans.
President Joe Biden made the announcement late last month, according to a press release from Capital schools, sharing his intent to appoint over 20 individuals to the commission. The new body is tasked with providing advice through the secretary of education on matters pertaining to educational equity and economic opportunity.
The commission has some key focuses:
Promoting career pathways for Black students through internships, apprenticeships and other work-based learning initiatives
Increasing public awareness of the educational disparities Black Americans face and providing solutions
Establishing local and national relationships with public, private, philanthropic and nonprofit stakeholders to advance the overall mission
Nation: Students are increasingly refusing to go to school. It’s becoming a mental health crisis.
“I remain humbled and poised to serve our nation as a member of this prestigious advisory commission," said the district's first Black woman CEO and superintendent in a statement. "And (I) look forward to using my life experiences, educational accomplishments and professional achievements to add value to the commission’s vital work."
The decorated educator and advocate is also the only Black woman serving as a superintendent in Delaware.
Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network's Northeast Region and Delaware Online, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: U.S. News ranks Delaware schools, callout for summer meals
