Bill Text: DE SB252 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft

Delaware Senate Bill 252

Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 14 Relating To Educator Preparation Programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-08 - Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 10 On Its Merits [SB252 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2023-SB252-Draft.html

SPONSOR:	Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. K. Williams & Rep. Heffernan
Sens. Gay, Hoffner

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 252

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 RELATING TO EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.

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

Amend § 1280, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1280. Educator preparation program approval.

(f)(1) The Department shall promulgate rules and regulations governing educator preparation programs under this subchapter in collaboration with Delaware educators.

(3)a. As part of the approval and renewal process for educator preparation programs under subsection (a) of this section, the Department shall perform an audit of a program’s compliance with the reading instruction requirements under paragraphs (c)(3) and (f)(2) of this section. For this audit, the Department may observe classrooms and review work samples of program candidates.

b. If an audit finds that an educator preparation program is not compliant with the reading instruction requirements, all of the following apply:

1. The audit findings must specifically identify each area in which the program is not compliant.

2. The Department must require that the program take corrective action in each area identified under paragraph (f)(3)b.1. of this section.

c. If an audit finds that an educator preparation program is compliant with all reading instruction requirements, the Department shall award the program a specific distinction.

d. The Department must use the information gained from these audits to identify how teacher preparation in reading instruction can be improved and when possible, revise the regulations under paragraph (f)(1) of this section to implement these improvements.

e. The Department must include the audit findings under paragraphs (f)(3)a. through (f)(3)c. of this section in the reports published under subsection (e) of this section.

SYNOPSIS

Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 252 is identical to Senate Bill No. 252 except that SS 1 for SB 252 corrects a spelling error in the synopsis to avoid confusion.

This Act requires that the Department of Education (Department) perform audits of educator preparation programs (program) to assess compliance with the evidence-based reading instruction requirements, known as the "science of reading", that were enacted on June 30, 2021, by Senate Bill No. 133 (151st). If a program is not compliant with these requirements, the audit findings must specifically identify each area in which the program is not compliant, and the Department must require that the program take corrective action for each non-compliant area. If a program is compliant with all of the science of reading requirements, the Department shall award the program a specific distinction.

This Act also requires that the Department use these audits to identify how teacher preparation in reading instruction can be improved and that the audit findings be included in the reports the Department already publishes about educator preparation programs.

Author: Senator Sturgeon