Engrossment

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

Section 1. Amend § 1008, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1008 Wilmington Education Improvement Commission.

(a) The Wilmington Education Improvement Commission (WEIC) shall advise the Governor and General Assembly on the planning, recommending, and implementing improvements to the quality and availability of education for children in pre-K through grade 12 in the City of Wilmington and for which such changes maybe be instructive for addressing needs of all schools within the State with high concentrations of children living in poverty, English language learners, or both. Membership on the WEIC shall be limited to 23 members with full voting rights, including a Chairperson and 2 Vice-Chairpersons, who shall be appointed according to subsection (d) of this section. At a minimum, the WEIC shall be composed of the following members (or their designees, who shall have full voting rights), who shall be appointed by the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons, and when appropriate, in consultation with the appropriate board, agency, or authority from whom the member is drawn, including, but not limited to:

(1) A member of the Delaware State Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore, and a member of the Delaware House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker;

(2) A representative of the School Board of the Red Clay Consolidated School District;

(3) A representative of the School Board of the Christina School District;

(4) A representative of the School Board of the Colonial School District;

(5) A representative of the School Board of Brandywine School District;

(6) The chair of the Education Committee of the Wilmington City Council;

(7) A representative of the Mayor of the City of Wilmington;

(8) Two charter school representatives: 1 located inside the existing boundaries of the City of Wilmington and serving Wilmington students, and 1 located outside of the City of Wilmington, in New Castle County, serving both Wilmington and County children;

(9) Two high school students attending public school: 1 living in the City of Wilmington, 1 living outside of the City of Wilmington in New Castle County;

(10) Two public school parents: 1 of a student living in the City of Wilmington, 1 of a student living outside of the City in New Castle County;

(11) Two teachers from the school districts and charter schools: 1 teaching inside the City of Wilmington, 1 teaching in New Castle County;

(12) A representative from the Delaware State Education Association who represents teachers and/or educational support staff in districts that serve Wilmington students; and

(13) Other community leaders or representatives of the Wilmington and greater New Castle County community and educational interests.

(b) An affirmative vote of a majority of all voting members shall be required to take action.

(c) Meetings of the WEIC and all WEIC committees shall be public, unless designated for executive session. Voting membership in WEIC shall be limited to subsection (a) of this section.

(d) The Governor shall appoint a Chairperson and 2 Vice-Chairpersons. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons shall lead the activities of the WEIC, including WEIC's coordination with state leaders and agencies and with public education and community stakeholders. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons shall be selected based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

(1) A parent of a public school student living within the city limits of Wilmington;

(2) A school board official from the districts serving Wilmington students; and

(3) A community leader not otherwise affiliated with any school district, charter school, or governmental body.

(e) The WEIC shall convene regularly-scheduled public meetings, and shall meet at least 6 times annually.

(f) The WEIC may form an executive committee from its members. The WEIC shall form standing committees to develop recommendations for consideration by the full Commission including, but not limited to committees on:

(1) Redistricting;

(2) Charter schools;

(3) Serving low-income and English language learning students; and

(4) Funding.

(g) The WEIC shall work with and across all governmental agencies, educational entities, and private and nonprofit institutions to promote and support the implementation of all recommended changes from the Wilmington Education Advisory Committee (WEAC). The WEIC also will also monitor the progress of implementation and recommend policies and actions to the Governor and General Assembly to facilitate progress and to promote the continuous improvement of public education. The WEIC shall develop a transition, resource and implementation plan, for presentation to and approval by the State Board of Education, for the provision of necessary services to schools and students affected by the implementation of the changes recommended by WEAC. WEIC shall also develop a resource plan regarding transitional resources to effectively implement school district realignment. Both the transition plan and resource plan must be submitted first to the State Board of Education and then to the General Assembly and the Governor for final approval. Both are due for submission and related action by December 31, 2015. Final approval of the transition plan and resource plan by the General Assembly and the Governor shall not constitute an endorsement of any particular revenue or spending measure and shall not bind the State, nor any of its political subdivisions, to any specific action with regard to revenue and spending.

(h) The WEIC shall report to the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House at least once each fiscal year. Each report shall include:

(1) A summary of the work and actions completed by WEIC to accomplish its purposes as stated above; and

(2) Recommendations of the WEIC about whether and how to further implement, promote, and achieve the recommendations of the WEAC.

(i) The WEIC shall be staffed by the University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration. The staff shall be managed by a WEIC policy director from the Institute for Public Administration, approved by the Chairperson of WEIC.

(j) The WEIC shall conclude its operations by June 30, 2021

Section 2. Amend § 1008 , Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1008: The Redding Consortium for Educational Equity .

(a) The Redding Consortium for Educational Equity (the Consortium) shall replace the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission. The Consortium shall recommend policies and practices to the Governor and General Assembly and to the Secretary of Education to achieve educational equity and to improve educational outcomes of all Pre-K to grade 12 students in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County.

(b) The Consortium shall monitor the educational progress and outcomes of students in the City of Wilmington as well as all low-income, English learners and other students at risk across northern New Castle County. It shall develop and publish data reports on the conditions impacting the educational outcomes of these students and also track the progress of these students.

(c) The Consortium shall recommend policies and actions to the Governor and General Assembly that support the continuous improvement of public education in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County. It shall spotlight best practices from across the state and nation for increasing educational equity, improving educational outcomes, and strengthening school and community services. It shall facilitate collaboration on implementation of best practices among school districts and charter schools and may implement pilot projects It shall also facilitate the consistent engagement of impacted communities to strengthen and inform its work..

(d) The Consortium shall evaluate the need for additional or alternative educational facilities in the City of Wilmington including secondary schools.

(e) The Consortium shall develop policy proposals to be introduced through legislation to improve teaching and learning in both district and charter schools in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County.

(f) The Consortium shall develop a proposal for redistricting in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County that will include provisions stipulated in concurrent legislation formulated specifically for that purpose with designated responsibilities and timelines for action at all levels.

(g) The Consortium shall research the viability of the New Castle County Tax District and Tax Pool.

(h) The Consortium shall be composed of the following members (or their designees), who shall have full voting rights.

1. One member of the Delaware State Senate representing the City of Wilmington, appointed by the President Pro Tempore, and one member of the Delaware House of Representatives representing the City of Wilmington, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

One member of the minority caucus of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore and one member of the minority caucus of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House.

2. The Superintendent of the Red Clay Consolidated School District;

3. The Superintendent of the Christina School District;

4. The Superintendent of the Colonial School District;

5. The Superintendent of the Brandywine School District;

6. The Superintendent of the New Castle County Vo-Tech School District

7. The Mayor of the City of Wilmington;

8. The Head of the Metropolitan Urban League;

9. The President of the Delaware Hispanic Commission;

10. The Chair of the Advisory Council on English Learners;

11. A Chair of the Wilmington Community Advisory Council

12. The President of the Delaware State Education Association.

The following additional members, who shall have full voting rights, shall be identified and appointed by the co-chairs of the Consortium:

13. A representative of the Wilmington Center for Education Equity and Public Policy;

14. A charter school lead;

15. Two teachers from schools in the City of Wilmington;

16. Two business leaders;

17. Two parents;

18. Two additional community leaders or representatives of the Wilmington and northern New Castle County community with educational interests.

(i) The Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Finance (or designee), and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (or designee) shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting members.

(j) An affirmative vote of a majority of all voting members shall be required to take action.

(k) Meetings of the Consortium and all related committees shall be public unless designated for executive session. (l) The Consortium shall meet at least quarterly, and its first meeting shall occur on or before September 1, 2019.

(m) The Consortium shall invite education and community stakeholders to participate in meetings as non-voting members as determined by the co-chairs.

(n). The legislative representative appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate shall be one co-chair, and the Governor shall appoint the other co-chair from among the members of the Consortium appointed pursuant to subsections h(2) through (17).

(o) The Consortium may form standing committees to develop recommendations for consideration by the full Consortium. The co-chairs of the Consortium may appoint members of committees and working groups who are not members of the Consortium but whose participation will enhance the work undertaken.

(p) The Consortium shall work with and across all relevant governmental agencies, educational entities, and private and nonprofit institutions serving residents of the City of Wilmington. The Consortium shall build upon the work and recommendations of the Wilmington Education Advisory Committee and the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission.

(q) As requested by the Governor and the General Assembly, the Consortium shall carry out other responsibilities consistent with its overall mission.

(r) The Consortium shall report to the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the City of Wilmington at least once each fiscal year. It shall annually present a report to a joint session of the education committees of the Senate and the House. Each report shall include:

1. A summary of the work and actions completed by the Consortium to accomplish its purposes as stated above; and

2. Recommendations of the Consortium about whether and how to further implement, promote, and achieve improvement in the education of Pre-K to grade 12 students in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County.

(s) The Consortium shall be staffed by the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration and Delaware State University’s School of Graduate Studies. The staff shall be managed by a policy director from the Institute for Public Administration, who shall be approved by the co-chairs of Consortium. An annual line item allocation of funding shall be provided to the Consortium to support the operational services, research, and analysis carried out by the Institute for Public Administration and Delaware State University and in the development of the transition, resource, and development plan.

(t) The Consortium shall remain in operation until the Governor and General Assembly conclude that its mission has been fulfilled.

SPONSOR:	Sen. Lockman & Rep. Chukwuocha
Sens. McBride, Poore, Townsend, Brown, Sturgeon, Delcollo; Reps. Bolden, Cooke, Dorsey Walker, K. Johnson, Minor-Brown, Kowalko, Baumbach