WHEREAS, Delaware is experiencing educator shortages across the state, and Delaware public schools had over 500 unfilled positions at the beginning of the 2022 school year; and
WHEREAS, issues related to compensation, workload, and working conditions have been identified as significant barriers to recruiting and retaining quality teachers, specialists, administrators, and education support professionals; and
WHEREAS, while state and federally required mandatory trainings are intended to address critical issues facing Delaware students and families, educators have expressed concerns related to the timing and relevance of required trainings; and
WHEREAS, teachers and specialists receive six professional development days per year, providing limited time to fulfill mandatory training requirements while meeting the needs of students; and
WHEREAS, education support professionals also face challenges accessing the technology and time required to complete mandatory trainings; and
WHEREAS, Delaware educators would benefit from a comprehensive review of state and federally required mandatory trainings and the time provided to complete those trainings during the contractual school year; and
WHEREAS, streamlining and modernizing required trainings could improve their relevance and provide educators with more time to focus on improving instruction and meeting the needs of students; and
WHEREAS, before introducing legislation to add to the list of required trainings, the Delaware General Assembly should carefully consider the impact new requirements would have on educator workload.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Secretary of the Department of Education undertake a comprehensive review of state and federally required trainings for teachers, specialists, administrators, and education support professionals and produce a report on or before December 1, 2023 that details recommendations for minimizing the burden these trainings place on educators and increasing their relevance and effectiveness.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education should seek to engage educators and consult with the Delaware State Education Association, Delaware Association of School Administrators, and the Delaware Chief School Officers Association to review trainings and produce recommendations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report must be submitted to the Controller General, the Chair of the Senate Education Committee, and the Chair of the House Education Committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Delaware General Assembly is encouraged to carefully consider the impact additional mandatory trainings would have on educator workload and burnout before introducing legislation adding to the list of trainings.
