SPONSOR:	Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Bolden & Rep. Jaques & Rep. K. Williams & Sen. McDowell & Sen. Henry ; Reps. Keeley Lynn Matthews Osienski ; Sen. Townsend
	Reps. Barbieri, Potter

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 117

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE CREATION OF A UNIT FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

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

Section 1. Amend Chapter 17, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1716B. Unit for low-income students.

(a) “Unit for low-income students” is defined for funding purposes as 1 unit for each 250 full-time equivalent low-income students in a school district or charter school, grades K through 12. School districts or charter schools shall qualify for partial funding for a fractional part of 250 full-time equivalent low-income students enrolled in grades K through 12. The Department of Education shall define the measure to determine low-income status used to determine students eligible to be included in the low-income unit count.

(b) Each student counted in establishing a unit for low income students may be counted only once in a school district and charter school. For students who attend schools in more than 1 school district during each school day, the student is to be counted in each school district for the portion of the day that the student is in attendance there.

(c) Funding authorized by this section shall be used to provide supplemental school and educational services and programs for low-income students, including the employment of additional classroom support, such as teachers and paraprofessionals; student support services, such as counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and intervention specialists; Response to Intervention Services; and before and after school programs offering homework assistance, and for support for English language learners.

(d) Funds appropriated in support of a unit for low-income students may be used for expenditures for any Division III purpose pursuant to §§ 1304, 1707(h), and 1710 of this title. The programs supported by funds authorized under this section shall operate for the number of hours of employment as specified by § 1305 of this title and the personnel employed with funds authorized under this section shall be paid in accordance with § 1305 of this title.

(e) The units for low-income students are covered under the 98% rule as defined in § 1704(4) of this title and returned to the buildings that generate them.

(f) The dollar value of a unit for low-income students, when applied to the employment of a full-time person, shall be as provided in this title, but, when applied as herein authorized for other services, shall be the number of dollars set in the state-supported salary schedule for a teacher holding a master's degree with 10 years of experience and employed for 10 months. The calculation of this funding shall be for the current school year. Expenditures on behalf of this unit when used for the purchase of services shall be up to, but not in excess of, the amount herein authorized.

SYNOPSIS

This Act will create a funding source for students enrolled in Delaware public schools who are determined as low-income according to the Department of Education. This funding source will be in addition to the normal enrollment based funding provided to school districts and charter schools. The low-income unit will provide one unit of funding for every 250 low-income students in grades K-12 where the funding can be used for such purposes as providing additional teachers and paraprofessionals for classroom instruction; additional counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and intervention specialists; Response to Intervention Services; and before and after school programs providing homework assistance, and for support for English language learners. To ensure the low-income resources reach the schools where they are most needed, this Act requires that at least 98% of the units be directed towards the schools that generate the funding unless otherwise waived by a local board of education during a public meeting.