At the conclusion of its first year, a new program at Delaware State University focused on training professionals to serve the state’s youngest learners, graduated 13 people with degrees and gave credentials to hundreds more. DSU’s Early Childhood Innovation Center aims to empower and cultivate a highly skilled, educated and diverse workforce by providing holistic, comprehensive and evidence-based supports. Its …
Senate moves to address school funding study with commission
After a couple of briefings on the landmark December 2023 report on school funding that says Delaware should invest up to $1 billion more into it, the state legislature is moving to take action. Tuesday, the Senate passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 201, sponsored by Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin and chair of the Senate Education Committee, which establishes the Public Education …
Misbehavior on school buses may become disorderly conduct offense
Proposed legislation created in response to community complaints about school safety and discipline focuses on trouble in and with school buses. Senate Bill 330, sponsored by Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, adds intentional interference with the operation of a school bus to the offense of disorderly conduct. RELATED: School Behavioral Infractions Remain Above 30000 Annually Infractions include: Boarding a school bus …
New bill lays out rules to high school transfer portal
The emergence of the transfer portal has drastically changed the landscape of college sports in the past few years, notably making it difficult for coaches to recruit and maintain players. Now, the same idea of athletes transferring schools has made its way into the high school level, and a new bill by the Delaware General Assembly aims to smooth the …
School behavior group wants more funding for specialists
The state task force dedicated to evaluating the ongoing problems with student behavior and school climate acknowledges that there is a real problem in Delaware schools. The 24-member Student Behavior and School Climate Task Force, made of government and educational officials as well as school behavioral specialists and resource officers, got its first taste of official suspension data Monday night. …
Delaware 8th state to legalize natural organic reduction
A law that would put Delaware in a class with seven other states offering a unique burial method passed the Senate Thursday. House Bill 162, sponsored by Rep. Sean Lynn, D-Dover, opens the doors for cemeteries to begin offering increasingly-popular natural organic reduction after death. Natural organic reduction is the gentle, respectful process that accelerates the decomposition of human remains …
Bipartisan bill would see Inspector General at work by 2025
A much-debated Office of Inspector General would be up and running by early 2025, if a new bill passes the Delaware Assembly by the end of June. Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, would create the Office of Inspector General, an independent watchdog agency empowered to investigate waste, fraud,and abuse in the executive and legislative branches of state government with Senate Bill …
Despite financial concerns, bill giving free meals to all students moves on
A proposed law in Delaware would provide free breakfast and lunch to all students – with a price tag of $120 million over the next three years – moves on after debate. House Bill 125, sponsored by Rep. Sherae’a Moore, D-Middletown, sparked a healthy discussion in the House Education Committee meeting Wednesday. The bill points out that during the pandemic, …
Task force redefining ‘firearm’ moves closer to decision
A task force charged with updating the state’s definition of “firearm” plans to take one more look next week at the new proposed language. If approved, a bill would be introduced this year proposing the change. One reason for a new definition is because Delaware has a uniquely general and large definition of a “firearm,” in which any device that …
Education groups costing ⅓ of state budget face JFC
Education – what one legislator called the most important investment by the state – consumed Wednesday’s Joint Finance Committee hearing for a category that makes up about one-third of the state’s $6 billion budget. Appearing in the morning before the committee that decided how and where the state’s budget will be spent was The Redding Consortium and the Wilmington Learning …