LAWS OF DELAWARE
VOLUME 83
CHAPTER 500
151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY
FORMERLY
HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 377
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
WHEREAS, Delaware’s early childhood workforce often makes minimum wage, yet is working in a highly-skilled and demanding job that supports Delaware’s future and economy; and
WHEREAS, one in six early childhood professionals left the field during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, data on these professionals is limited and is restraining Delaware’s ability to do more to support them; and
WHEREAS, the workforce shortage is preventing families from finding child care and returning to work; and
WHEREAS, early childhood professionals deserve to be compensated and supported as teachers in public schools are– and there is a nationwide movement for compensation parity across settings; and
WHEREAS, Delaware is committed to serving more children in high-quality early childhood and care settings, through the Early Childhood Assistance Program and through the Purchase of Care subsidy program; and
WHEREAS, over time, Delaware has committed to increasing qualification requirements for early childhood professionals, with compensation and support; and
WHEREAS, to support the workforce long term, Delaware also must invest more in child care to serve more children and pay at the cost of care; and
WHEREAS, Delaware’s early childhood workforce should reflect the populations of children served and should be developed from a pipeline of paraprofessionals, community members, parents, and others representative of the child population, including bilingual candidates and those without degrees; and
WHEREAS, in the past, the state has maintained essential systems of support for early childhood professionals, including scholarships and wage supplements associated with earning credentials and degrees.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend Chapter 30,
Title 14 of
the Delaware Code
by making deletions
as shown by
strike through and insertions
as shown by underline
as follows:
CHAPTER 30. Early Childhood Education Program
Subchapter I. General Provisions
Subchapter II. Early
Childhood Workforce
§ 3011. Early childhood workforce study.
(a) Beginning in
2022, the Department of Education (Department),
in consultation with
stakeholders including the Delaware Early Childhood Council, shall annually
produce, by November 15, an
early childhood workforce study,
which shall include
all of the
following:
(1) The number
of individuals receiving state financial support.
(2) The number
and percentage of
early childhood professionals
with credentials or
degrees, both in
total and disaggregated
by race and
ethnicity.
(3) The demographics
of the early
childhood workforce including
age, race, ethnicity,
and gender.
(4) The estimated
cost to close the
gap between current
wages and the target
wage scale, including
parity with public school
teaching staff and individuals
with similar credentials.
(5) Gaps in data
gathering and analysis
and potential measures to close
the gaps.
§ 3012. Comprehensive support program for early childhood professionals.
(a) By September 1, 2023, the Department of Education (Department) shall implement a comprehensive support program for early childhood professionals including those employed by a public school.
(b) By January 31, 2023, the Department, in consultation with the Delaware Early Childhood Council, shall produce a plan for the comprehensive support program, informed by the early childhood workforce study required by § 3011 of this title. The Department shall consider inclusion of the following components:
(1) An educational loan
forgiveness program.
(2) Scholarship and other financial support for early childhood professionals pursuing degrees and credential attainment.
(3) Salary supplements for early childhood professionals and a proposed scale for such supplements that increases based on higher levels of educational attainment, and policy proposals to have such supplements excluded as income for purposes of determining eligibility for assistance programs.
(4) Formalized alternative
routes to credentialing and
certification in early
childhood professions, including development of an alternative route to certification similar to the programs currently employed for K-12 educators.
(5) Improvements and coordination for aspiring early childhood professionals
of professional pathway
programs and the
Teacher Academy program
in district and charter
schools, including strategies
to support more
diversity, to provide
meaningful work-based
learning opportunities, and to
accelerate postsecondary
credit and credentials
during high school.
(6) Supports for early childhood professionals in the
workforce and aspiring
professionals including paraprofessionals,
community members, parents,
bilingual candidates,
and those without degrees.
(7) Partnerships with institutions of
higher education to support pathways and
career development and
support for early childhood
professionals. The partnership should consider the viability and effectiveness of the following completion
supports for individuals
seeking credentials and
degrees in fields
relevant to early
childhood education including:
a. Tutoring.
b. Academic counseling and
assistance in navigating
credential requirements.
c. Embedded coaching
and professional learning.
d. Community-based delivery
of training at
licensed child care and early learning
providers.
e. Courses in
languages other than
English.
f. Developing or
providing funding for
substitutes when training
or courses are
offered during the
work day.
(8) Assisting aspiring
and current early
childhood professionals
to access other
available financial supports, such
as the SEED
and INSPIRE scholarships.
Approved October 24, 2022