Our mission is to help Delaware create one of the finest public education systems in the nation by 2012.

Description:
This mission is more urgent today than ever before. The United States used to lead the world in education, which gave us a talented pool of workers and helped make us the most prosperous nation in the world. But a 2004 study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development shows that the United States currently ranks below most other industrialized nations in high school and college graduation rates, and our students trail those from other nations in critical skills such as problem solving. The nations that top the list have improved their education systems while ours has remained largely unchanged, which could pose a significant threat to our leadership in the global economy.

We believe that many of our education systems need to be redesigned so that leaders can lead, teachers can respond more creatively to student needs, and parents can be more effective advocates for their children's academic and social development.

We also believe that although Delaware faces many of the same challenges as other states, we can be a test case for the nation in building a high-performing education system. We have a strong resource base, committed and accessible leadership, steady gains in student performance to build upon, and a student population that is smaller than that of many city systems. If dramatic success in accelerating student improvement can happen anywhere, Delaware is that place.

History:
The Rodel Foundation was created in 2000 with proceeds from the sale of Rodel, Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of high-precision surface-finishing chemicals used in the manufacture of computer chips, silicon wafers, and rigid memory discs. The company was founded in Delaware in 1969 and expanded operations to Arizona in 1973.

To give back to the communities that supported Rodel's success, the company's founders created several philanthropic entities. One is the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, a supporting organization to the Delaware Community Foundation. A sister foundation, the Rodel Foundation of Arizona, is similarly dedicated to the improvement of public education.

Contact person: Kate Fitzgibbon, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (302) 571-1538

Address:

100 West 10th Street, Suite 704 Wilmington, DE 19801 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.rodelfoundationde.org

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	No