LAWS OF DELAWARE
VOLUME 84
CHAPTER 237
152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
FORMERLY
HOUSE BILL NO. 229
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REDDING CONSORTIUM FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend § 1026, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 1026. Changing boundaries; vocational-technical school districts; City of Wilmington.
(d) (3) a. The State Board of Education shall make its decision and order to change or alter district boundaries under this subsection based on the recommendations of the Consortium as expressed in a transition, resource, and implementation plan for redistricting. The final recommendation and plan developed by the Consortium for presentation to the State Board of Education must include all of the following:
b. The Consortium’s final recommendation and plan may include all of the following:
6. Recommendations for policies and practices for systematic reform to address the negative impacts of the Neighborhood Schools Act.
c. The Consortium may submit 1 or more interim plans for action under this section, which may address redistricting to ensure that all school districts have contiguous geographical boundaries.
d. e. The Consortium’s A recommendation and plan of the Consortium must be reviewed and acted upon by the State Board of Education on or after July 1, 2023, and no later than October 1, 2023, to take effect on or after January 1, 2025, and no later than July 1, 2026. within 3 months of submission.
(e) If the State Board of Education does not approve the a plan as submitted by the Consortium, it must notify the Chairperson of the Consortium in writing, give reasons why the plan was not approved, and allow the Consortium to resubmit the plan within 30 days of the Chairperson receiving the notice of denial.
(f) The State Board of Education must base its decision to change or alter school district boundaries on a record developed in compliance with state open meetings laws.
(g) The authority of the Consortium and the State Board of Education to act under the provisions of this section shall continue until the confirmation of a final State Board of Education approved plan by the Governor and the General Assembly.
(h) (1) Before the consideration of the a Joint Resolution required under subsection (d) of this section by the General Assembly, the Controller General shall prepare a fiscal analysis of the a redistricting plan approved by the State Board of Education under subsection (d) of this section (“the redistricting plan”). The fiscal analysis must do all of the following:
a. Describe all requirements on of and obligations assumed by the State or a school district redistricted under the redistricting plan and any other consequences of the redistricting plan that has a fiscal impact on the State or a school district redistricted under the redistricting plan for each fiscal year following the enactment of the Joint Resolution.
b. Include full fiscal cost data estimates, including salaries, operating costs, other employment costs, capital outlays, and debt service that may be incurred under the a redistricting plan.
c. State how the fiscal cost data estimates were calculated, including what facts were used or assumption made to calculate the estimates.
(2) On request by the Controller General, the Consortium, the State Board of Education, the Department of Education, the Office of Management and Budget, a school district redistricted under the a redistricting plan, and any other state agency shall provide information and other assistance necessary to complete the fiscal projection required by this subsection.
(i) After the enactment of the a Joint Resolution required under subsection (d) of this section, the General Assembly shall, through the General Assembly’s budget process, determine the funding, if any, to be appropriated to provide resources needed for the implementation of the a redistricting plan approved by the a Joint Resolution, including any additional analysis, facility, and program requirements.
Approved October 13, 2023