Delaware High School Parent Communication Guide for Teachers

Delaware is the second smallest state in the country, but the communication challenges for high school teachers there are as real as anywhere. You are working with students who may be heading to the University of Delaware, Delaware State, or a Delaware Technical and Community College campus, or students who are navigating a path that does not involve higher education at all. Clear, consistent parent communication is what connects all of these families to the information their student needs.

Lead With the Delaware STARS Scholarship

The Delaware STARS program provides scholarship funding for eligible Delaware residents attending Delaware colleges and universities. The requirements include a minimum GPA and SAT score, and many families, particularly first-generation college families in Wilmington and Kent County, are not aware the program exists. Put the STARS requirements in your newsletter in the fall. Tell parents the GPA threshold, when the SAT is administered, and where to learn more. A student who knows about STARS in 9th grade has three years to plan toward it; a student who finds out in 11th grade has one test attempt to hit the score.

Communicate Delaware's State SAT Clearly

Delaware administers the SAT to all 11th graders through the state at no cost to students. This is a significant opportunity for families who cannot afford private test administration. Tell parents the date in the fall newsletter. Tell them what subjects the SAT covers, how your classroom instruction builds relevant skills, and what preparation resources are available. The students who do best on the state SAT are the ones whose families knew it was coming and who had time to prepare.

Address Delaware's Dual Enrollment Programs

Delaware has dual enrollment partnerships with Delaware Technical and Community College and the University of Delaware. Some high school students can earn college credits before graduation at reduced or no cost. This information is valuable to families across the income spectrum. For families concerned about college costs, dual enrollment reduces the time needed to complete a degree. For academically ambitious students, it provides a jump-start on a college transcript. Put this information in a newsletter during course selection season, when families can act on it.

Be Specific About the 24-Credit Requirement

Delaware requires 24 credits for graduation. That number includes specific courses in English, math, science, social studies, health and physical education, and electives. When parents understand the specific requirements, they can help their student plan a course sequence that satisfies all requirements without last-minute scrambling. A brief breakdown of which credits their student has earned and which are still needed, shared at least once a year in a newsletter, prevents the senior-year graduation crisis that surprises both students and parents.

Reach Wilmington Families With Bilingual Awareness

Wilmington has a significant Spanish-speaking population, and New Castle County schools serve a diverse immigrant community. If a meaningful portion of your school's families speak Spanish or another language at home, add a short bilingual summary to your newsletter or make translation resources visible. A newsletter that one-third of your parents cannot fully read is a newsletter that one-third of your families do not benefit from.

A Sample Delaware High School Newsletter Section

Here is what a scholarship-aware section looks like:

"Reminder for 11th grade families: Delaware administers the SAT to all juniors on March 4 at no cost. Students who score 1080 or higher (combined reading and math) and maintain a 2.5 GPA or above may qualify for the Delaware STARS scholarship. We are practicing evidence-based reading and writing in class throughout the semester. Free SAT prep is available at khanacademy.org."

Use Delaware's Small-State Advantage

Delaware's small size means the state legislature, university system, and major employers are all relatively close and accessible. Teachers who connect their curriculum to Delaware employers, policy decisions, or local institutions make the content feel grounded. An economics teacher who references DuPont's legacy or Delaware's incorporation law is using context that Delaware students and parents actually recognize.

Send Consistently With Daystage

Consistent communication is what separates teachers whose parents trust them from teachers whose parents only hear from them when something goes wrong. Daystage gives you a fast, clean way to write and send a professional newsletter to all families at once. For Delaware high school teachers who want to build strong parent relationships without adding hours to their workweek, it is a practical choice.