Excellence occurs when an instructional system provides each learner with a high level of challenge.
Equity means that each learner is afforded the appropriate support he or she needs to succeed. New Directions is based on the principle that all students can learn and consequently will be held to high academic expectations of knowledge and performance. Equity must be an integral part of standards-based educational reform if we are to improve academic achievement and prepare all students for the future. It is the responsibility of all Delaware educators to ensure that the content standards, curriculum, instruction, assessment and school practices are designed to provide diverse student populations with an opportunity to learn. Content standards, curriculum, instruction, performance tasks, and assessments are free of bias and accurately reflect the contributions of the diverse peoples that make up our society and the world.