About Us

A Brief History

Established in 1995, the Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education (DFSME) brings the voice of business and industry to the standards-based K-12 science/math education reform effort of the State of Delaware. DFSME has functioned for the State much like a central Research and Development organization in a company, investigating both its own ideas and those of its “company” colleagues. Promising leads are piloted in the schools with DFSME funds. Those leads conclusively demonstrating the ability to improve instructional effectiveness are offered by the State Department of Education to other districts for replication.

Focusing initially on science education, DFSME introduced the concept of inquiry-based science instruction to a group of volunteer school districts across the state. Rather than memorize facts, students are posed interesting questions about the physical world around them, provided materials in kits and, working individually and in small teams, allowed to draw their own conclusions for discussion with their classmates. This methodology was shown to ground students in the “big ideas” of science, encouraging them to extrapolate their understanding to new observations and situations.

DFSME then led a coalition, joined by the State’s Department of Education and higher education community, to secure a five-year Math Science Partnership from the National Science Foundation. With these funds supplementing State and business/industry donations, inquiry-based science using the Smithsonian Science Curriculum has been firmly entrenched in K-10 instruction. The State and 18 school districts support the ongoing professional development, materials, and logistics of the program. In a recent letter, Marvin Schoenhals, Chairman, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, and Bruce Hammonds, Chairman, Delaware Business Roundtable Education Committee, said, “One of the most successful programs supported by the business community was the Smithsonian Science Curriculum that is now used statewide and considered as one of the nation’s best models.”

The Smithsonian Science Curriculum

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