HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 238

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO OPTIONAL MID-YEAR UNIT COUNT.

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

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

§ 1704A Optional mid-year unit count.

(a) A reorganized school district which experiences enrollment growth during the school year but after the actual unit count as described in §1704 of this chapter has been certified and reported, may at its option participate in an “optional mid-year unit count” on the last school day of January. The “optional mid-year unit count” shall be the number computed by multiplying the total actual unit count calculated under § 1704, by the ratio of the total district enrollment of students not included in the actual unit count by any reorganized school district, vocational-technical school district, or charter school in the State on the last school day in January to the total district enrollment on the last school day in September.

(b) The Department of Education shall annually (after January 31) certify and report the “optional mid-year unit count” as required in § 1710 of this title. Reorganized school districts shall qualify only for the following state financial support for each additional unit generated by the optional mid-year unit count:

(1) A Division I allocation for a teacher paid in accordance with § 1305 of this title for a period of 90 days, or a Division I allocation for 2 paraprofessionals paid in accordance with § 1324 of this title for a period of 90 days.

(2) The state-paid other employment costs, for a teacher or 2 paraprofessionals for a period of 90 days, specified in § 6340 of Title 29.

(3) One-half the Division II - Energy and Division II - All Other Costs appropriations per unit specified in the annual Appropriations Act.

(c) Additional units generated by the optional mid-year unit count shall be utilized only in schools which experienced enrollment growth between the last school day in September and the last school day in January.

SYNOPSIS

This Act allows for an optional mid-year unit count (the “optional mid-year unit count”) for reorganized school districts that experience enrollment growth during the school year but after the actual unit count has been certified. A reorganized school district may obtain additional funding for teachers and paraprofessionals if additional units are calculated based on the optional mid-year unit count.