Legislation Document

WHEREAS, a strong research base demonstrates that high-quality pre-kindergarten (“pre-K”) benefits all children with lasting impacts on education, mobility, employment, health, and crime; and

WHEREAS, economic analyses predict that states that invest in early childhood education stimulate economies with high-achieving workers and spend less money on remedial education, healthcare, and criminal justice, creating an $11 return on every dollar invested; and

WHEREAS, new research suggests advantages of universal pre-K programs because diverse, inclusive early childhood learning environments benefit children from all economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds; and

WHEREAS, pre-K more than pays for itself in both the long and short term. Recent studies show a 13% per year return to society on pre-K investments through economic stimulation and savings on remedial education, special education services, health, employment, and criminal justice; and

WHEREAS, less than 4% of Delaware 4 year olds are enrolled in State-funded pre-K. Delaware ranks thirty-eight in the nation for pre-K access for 4 year olds; and

WHEREAS, 50% of all Delaware 3 and 4 year olds are not enrolled in any pre-K program today; and

WHEREAS, based on the Delaware Early Learner Survey observational tool, 1/3 to 1/2 of Delaware children are entering kindergarten without the skills needed for success; and

WHEREAS, a 2016 scientific poll found that 86% of likely voters in Delaware support voluntary pre-K for all children; and

WHEREAS, according to a 2019 Delaware Readiness Teams survey, 94% percent of parents with children ages 0 to 5 agree that Delaware should make free, public pre-K available; and

WHEREAS, families report that the price of pre-K is cost prohibitive and causes financial distress. A 2019 Delaware Readiness Teams survey found that 55% of parents say they or their partner could get a job, expand access to full-time employment, go back to school, or get more career training if Delaware instituted voluntary, full-day, high quality universal pre-K; and

WHEREAS, pre-K has been successfully delivered in a mix of public school, community-based, and Head Start settings and should continue to be delivered in this way to ensure access and options to meet families’ needs; and

WHEREAS, a significant body of national research supports high standards of delivery of pre-K programming, including developmentally appropriate curriculum and qualified educators.

NOW, THEREFORE:

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

Section 1. The Universal Pre-K Consortium (“Consortium”) is established to recommend a comprehensive plan for the implementation of a mixed-delivery, non-compulsory public pre-K program for all 4 year olds in this State.

Section 2. The Consortium is composed of the following 11 members serving by virtue of position, or a designee appointed by the member:

(1) A member of the majority caucus of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(2) A member of the minority caucus of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(3) A member of the majority caucus of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representative.

(4) A member of the minority caucus of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representative.

(5) The Secretary of the Department of Education.

(6) The Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services.

(7) The President of the Delaware Parent Teacher Association.

(8) The President of the Board of Directors of the Delaware School Boards Association.

(9) The Executive Director of the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children.

(10) The Chair of the Delaware Early Childhood Council.

(11) The President of the Delaware State Education Association.

Section 3. Members serving by virtue of position who are granted the ability to designate another individual to attend a Consortium meeting must provide the designation in writing to the chair of the Consortium. An individual attending a meeting for a member serving by virtue of position has the same duties and rights as the member serving by virtue of position.

Section 4. The Secretary of the Senate shall notify the chair of the Consortium’s creation and provide the chair with a copy of the legislation creating the Consortium .

Section 5. The member of the Senate majority caucus appointed by the President Pro Tempore is the chair of the Consortium .

Section 6. The chair of the Consortium is responsible for guiding the administration of the Consortium by, at a minimum, doing all of the following:

(1) Notifying the individuals listed Section 2 of this Act of the formation of the Consortium and the need to appoint a member, if applicable.

(2) Setting a date, time, and place for the initial organizational meeting.

(3) Supervising the preparation and distribution of Consortium meeting notices, agendas, minutes, correspondence, and reports.

(4) Sending to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Director of the Division of Research of Legislative Council, after the first meeting of the Consortium , a list of the members of the Consortium and the person who appointed them.

(5) Providing meeting notices, agendas, and minutes to the Director of the Division of Research of Legislative Council.

(6) Ensuring that the final report of the Consortium is submitted to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with copies to all members of the General Assembly, the Governor, the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Research of Legislative Council, and the Delaware Public Archives.

Section 7. The Consortium must hold its first meeting no later than January 31, 2020.

Section 8. A quorum of the Consortium is a majority of its members.

Section 9. Official action by the Consortium, including making findings and recommendations, requires the approval of a quorum of the Consortium.

Section 10. The Consortium may adopt rules necessary for its operation. If the Consortium does not adopt rules or if the adopted rules do not govern a given situation, Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure controls.

Section 11. The Department of Education shall provide reasonable and necessary support staff and materials for the Consortium .

Section 12. The chair must compile a report containing a summary of the Consortium ’s work regarding the comprehensive plan required under Section 1 of this Act, including any findings and recommendations by the Consortium related to the comprehensive plan, and submit the report to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Research of Legislative Council no later than January 31, 2021.

Section 13. This Act expires on the date the Consortium submits the report required by this Act.

SPONSOR:	Sen. Sturgeon & Sen. Lockman & Rep. Jaques & Rep. K. Williams
Sens. Cloutier, Hansen, Sokola