Education

Education is the key to a better life. It’s that simple. The support from family, peers, and government to move a child through the formative years of grade school and into a trade school or college and beyond is crucial and often determines how successful that person will be later in life. A great education system is also one of the critical building blocks of strong economic growth in our business economy. We must continue to support our public, private, home and charter schools so that families have a choice of educational opportunities that work for them, although a focus on educational excellence and safety in our public schools with the resources to give every child the opportunity to succeed must never waiver.

A few of the bills that I have sponsored and which are now law include:

Establishment of a mental health service unit for Delaware elementary schools (HB 100; 151st GA) - Delaware schools need trained and experienced mental health professionals to provide prevention and support programs and services to students. This Act establishes a mental health services unit for Delaware elementary schools as mental health disorders are the most common health problem for school aged youth affecting one in five students.
New mental health resources for middle school students (HB 300; 151st GA) - This bill would create new positions for school counselors, social workers, and school psychologists in all Delaware middle schools, effectively lowering the ratio of students to mental health practitioners. HB 300 builds on the successful passage last year of HB 100, which created a structure to place these practitioners in every elementary school statewide.
New mental health programs for high school students (HB 301; 151st GA) - This bill requires the Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, to establish and implement statewide mental health educational programs for each grade, kindergarten through grade 12, in each school district and charter school in this State.
Expansion of the School Safety and Security Act (HB 388; 151st GA) - This bill authorizes the application of funds from the Delaware School Safety and Security Fund for the retention of constables to be utilized by the school district.
Expansion of the SEED Program (SB 175 w/SA 1; 150th) The Delaware Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED) program previously allowed students a maximum of 6 semesters to complete an Associate Degree. This Bill allows students who complete their Associate Degree in fewer than 6 semesters to apply the remaining semesters of the grant toward a Bachelor’s Degree at either the University of Delaware or Delaware Technical and Community College.
Expansion of the SEED Program (SB 12 w/SA 1; 151st): The purpose of this act is to open up the SEED program to adult Delaware residents, who are not recent high school graduates. Currently, about 56% of Delawareans age 25-64 lack a post-secondary degree. This expansion of the SEED grant program will encourage adult learners to return to school to enhance their knowledge and skills and increase their job opportunities.
Expanded educational funding for low income and English learner students (SB 56, 151st) - This Act codifies the Opportunity Fund, an additional source of educational funding for Delaware public schools intended to support the increased needs of low income and English learner students, and establishes the parameters for how the funding is to be distributed to school districts and charter schools.
Healthy Schools Initiative (SB 107, Prime sponsor, 149th) - This bill requires the Division of Public Health to establish an online portal on the DHSS website through which it will provide technical expertise and exchange information with local school districts in order to help improve the air quality and overall indoor environment in schools. This bill also requires the Division of Public Health and the Department of Education to collaborate with local school districts to find ways to help improve the indoor environment in schools. The bill also requires the Department of Education to notify local school districts of the portal every year.
After school and summer learning (HS 1 for HB 92, 150th) This bill creates an Expanded Learning Opportunities Subcommittee as part of the Interagency Resource Management Committee (IRMC) to provide research, recommendations, and coordination regarding before and after school programs and summer learning opportunities for school-age children.
Funding for low income and ELL students (SB 56; 151st) This Act codifies the Opportunity Fund, an additional source of educational funding for Delaware public schools intended to support the increased needs of low income and English language learner students, and establishes the parameters for how the funding is to be distributed to school districts and charter schools.
Teacher education loan repayments (HB 346; 151st) This Act establishes the High Needs Educator Student Loan Payment Program. The Program allows qualified applicants to apply for a payment from the State to the applicant’s lending agency, to pay a portion of the applicant’s student loan debt. The purpose of the Program is to encourage Educators to work and remain working in certification areas in which Delaware has a shortage and to encourage Educators to work and remain working in Delaware’s hardest-to-staff Schools.
Increasing school funding transparency (SB 172; 150th) This bill increases the public transparency of education funding information by directing the Department of Education to: 1. Establish, in collaboration with stakeholders, a statewide approach for districts and charter schools for reporting expenditures at the school level and the school’s share of central office expenditures so that per-pupil expenditure data is consistent and comparable across the State. 2. Report per-pupil expenditure data with key information that provide context on differences in funding such as school type, student demographics, and student outcomes. 3. Provide optional trainings to increase understanding of the data. As a result, this bill is intended to enable all taxpayers, parents, and schools to understand their school spending and resources in order to make data-driven decisions for students.
Increasing school safety – Serving on the Appoquinimink School Safety Task Force, I organized the only statewide forum on gun violence in our schools and I’ve been proud to support initiatives to make our schools safer. I co-sponsored legislation (HB 49, 149th) which requires all new school construction and schools undergoing major renovations to incorporate the following safety features: a secured vestibule to be used as the primary entrance to screen visitors, installation of ballistic resistant glass or other ballistic resistant materials in all areas used to screen visitors, installation of a panic button or intruder alert system, and classroom doors that can be locked on the outside with a key or magnetic card locking system. I also supported HB 335 which established the Delaware School Safety and Security Fund to allow certain eligible public schools to partially or fully fund projects intended to improve school facilities and training relating to safety or security.

A few of the bills that I have sponsored and which are now law include:

Expansion of the School Safety and Security Act (HB 388; 151st GA) - This bill authorizes the application of funds from the Delaware School Safety and Security Fund for the retention of constables to be utilized by the school district.