SPONSOR:

Rep. K. Williams & Rep. Jaques & Sen. Poore

Reps. Bennett, Brady, Lynn, Matthews; Sens. Delcollo, Hocker, Lockman, Sturgeon

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 201

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE PROGRAM FOR SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 1332, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1332. Statewide program for services for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

(a) The Department shall provide training and technical assistance across all public schools within this State on behalf of students with an educational classification of autism spectrum disorder ("ASD"). Educational programming provided under this chapter must have high-quality instruction based on research and evidence-based practice.

(b) The Department, with the approval of the State Board of Education, Department shall designate a school district or other entity to administer the statewide program ("program") for students with an educational classification of ASD. If no district or other entity is willing to administer the statewide program, the Department must act in that role.

(c) The entity administering the program Department must employ a statewide director ("Director") for a period of 12 months each year. The Director must be hired in consultation with the Peer Review Committee and have the following qualifications and expertise with ASD:

SYNOPSIS

This Act requires the Department of Education ("Department") to administer the statewide program for services for students with autism spectrum disorder (“program”) and that the Department must hire the Director of the program.