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Gov. Matt Meyer, a former teacher, urges focus on daily classroom instruction
Summary
Speaking at the statewide PD day, Gov. Matt Meyer, who identified himself as the state's first public‑school educator to become governor, urged teachers to focus on high‑quality daily Tier 1 reading instruction and described literacy as a statewide priority he has declared an emergency.
Governor Matt Meyer addressed Delaware educators at the start of the professional development day, drawing on his years as a classroom teacher to urge a focus on daily instructional practice rather than solely on downstream interventions.
Meyer said he is the first governor in state history to have worked as a public‑school educator and recounted a classroom anecdote about a student who learned to divide fractions after weeks of instruction. “That moment changed him. I remember that. And it changed me, too,” he said, using the story to underline the impact of daily classroom teaching.
Meyer said when he became governor he declared a literacy emergency and framed the issue as broader than schools alone: “Literacy is not just a school issue, it's a state issue, a community issue and a democracy issue.” He argued that many prior investments were important but often focused on supports outside tier‑one instruction and that shifting outcomes requires changing what happens every day inside classrooms.
His remarks stressed collaboration among teachers, families and state agencies, and he thanked Secretary Martin and Department of Education staff for organizing the day. Meyer closed by encouraging attendees to make the PD day productive and said he would spend part of the day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.
