Updated January 27, 2023: HS 1 for HB 144, mentioned below, has been replaced by HS 1 for HB 33.

 

Young children with disabilities often need extra support from the adults in their lives. At school, that usually means smaller class sizes, added staff, and an inclusive mix of peers to ensure their unique needs are being met. But in Delaware, the opposite often happens. That could soon change.  

HS 1 for HB 144, which will be heard in House Education Committee this week, is an effort led by Rep. Kimberly Williams to increase equity and provide high-quality learning experiences for three- and four-year-old children with disabilities.  

This bill addresses funding for public pre-K for children with disabilities by decreasing the “unit” ratio of children: adults. Units are the primary funding mechanism for teachers and special services in the pre-K-12 funding system in Delaware.  

The unit ratio for children with disabilities was adjusted through legislation and funding as agreed in the K-12 lawsuit settlement for K-3 only, leaving out pre-K unit ratios—and resulting in ratios for pre-K units being higher than those in K-3. In education, ratios become smaller for younger children who need more support as well as children with disabilities. 

Why it’s important  

In Delaware, we have about 2,000 three- and four-year-olds in pre-schools identified for special education services—about 10 percent of all three- and four-year-olds. For kids, families, and schools, the sooner a child’s needs are identified and addressed, the better.  

Children with disabilities are being served today in classrooms that don’t reflect best practices and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guidelines. One of the key elements of high-quality early learning is inclusive classrooms. Delaware classrooms are simply not inclusive enough, according to federal IDEA indicators. Typically, by December of each year, only about 30 percent our pre-K classrooms with children with disabilities are comprised of at least 50 percent “typical peers,” the federal guideline.  

And, the issue will become bigger over time. Today, only about 17 percent of Delaware children are screened for developmental delays. We anticipate more children being identified for IDEA services as developmental screening increases, per HB 202, which requires all children in child care to be screened in the coming year. This would bring the number of pre-K students receiving special education services closer to what we see in K-12 (16 percent). And, in 2024, all public schools serving children younger than kindergarten will be licensed child care facilities under the Office of Child Care Licensing, which requires smaller ratios (one adult: seven to 12 children) than currently funded for public pre-K (one adult: 12.8 children). 

What Lies Ahead 

HS 1 for HB 144 addresses a number of important issues to get the services children are entitled to—however more remains doing.  

• Fund pre-K for all children: In order to prevent a lawsuit similar to one won in Pennsylvania (which is in the same federal circuit as Delaware), the state and our local education agencies (LEAs) must invest in more inclusive classrooms and in serving children in their “least restrictive setting.” That might mean LEAs funding the child’s participation in a community-based early learning setting, joined by “typical peers” or students without disabilities. A legal analysis found that Delaware and our districts are even more vulnerable to this type of lawsuit.  

 

Today, Delaware ranks 42nd among all states in terms of state-funded pre-K, what we call ECAP (short for the Delaware Early Childhood Assistance Program). When we take ECAP, plus Head Start and students who receive special education services in Delaware preschools, we see only about 15 percent of three- and four-year-olds served in high-quality, public settings. There have been some funds invested in pre-K in Wilmington through the Redding Consortium—and the governor has committed to more through the lawsuit settlement. The commitment from the state has been to mixed delivery settings—investing in pre-K in community-based organizations, nonprofits, small businesses, family child care, districts and Head Starts—which is best practice and recommended by advocates. In order to allow charters to offer pre-K, the code may need to be changed to define a charter school as more than serving K-12 students.  

• Count children more than one time per year. Unit funding is driven by a “September 30 count,” meaning schools are funded based on who is in the classroom—and who is identified for special services on that date. In pre-K, children are becoming eligible, being identified and entering the system year-round—and it takes time to diagnose and determine the right needs for children. Between September 30 and January, some districts have seen their numbers increase by multiple classrooms or even 100 children per year. Without added funding, their child: adult ratios quickly become much higher than recommended. HS1 for HB 54 would add another “count” mid-year, providing additional funding to support high-quality classrooms.
   
• Fund capital costs for Pre-K: Today, state capital funding is available to buildings that include kindergarten. So LEAs that need to build new buildings to serve three- and four-year-olds must do so with local funding only. This policy (referred to as “certificates of needs”) must be changed so that any public school age group can qualify. While HS 1 for HB 144 does NOT require new classrooms, this will be a need over time as more children are served.  

 

What can you do to support this issue 

1. Contact your Senator and Representative and tell them to support HS 1 for HB 144. 
2. If you are a parent, make sure your child is screened to determine if they are on track developmentally or may need additional support.
3. If you know a child that qualifies for special education services, ensure your child is receiving Free and Appropriate Public Education and advocate for their Least Restrictive Environment, including a classroom with typical peers. 
4. For support advocating for your child, contact the Parent Information Center of Delaware and the CLASI Disabilities Law Program.  

 ARPA Funding Announced November 1

This week, Gov. John Carney announced $120.6 million in funding for early childhood allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Included in this total are $66 million previously awarded (as required by the Federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the form of Child Care Stabilization Grants. Child Care providers have already spent the vast majority of those dollars to reimburse spring and early summer expenses wrought by the pandemic, including increased staffing, PPE, substitutes, and smaller group sizes.

ARPA investments in child care announced on Monday include:

• $24 million in additional stabilization grants, which represents an immediate infusion for a struggling industry
• $10.6 million in direct financial relief for Delaware child care workers, to support recruitment and retention bonuses

 

Another $10.6 million has been allocated to establish an Early Childhood Innovation Center at Delaware State University aimed at bolstering the child care workforce through a  a statewide scholarship and support model, including peer cohorts, career advising, and scholarship partnerships across higher education institutions. Most child care workers hold a high school degree; while future requirements will likely require postsecondary degrees (as recommended by experts like the  Institute of Medicine).

The remaining funds will go to state-level infrastructure and system building (details were not released by the state).

These one time, federal investments come at a time when advocates are pushing for increased state investments in the child care industry, and parents are struggling to find care for their children. They are also aligned with the Delaware Early Childhood Council’s July recommendations, which included input from child care providers, service providers, parents, and council members.

Current State

While federal injections certainly help stabilize the industry and one-time, pandemic-induced increased costs, much more needs to be done, especially for an industry that has lost one in six workers since the onset of the pandemic, and whose high-skill workers earn minimum wage (currently the average is below the new requirements at $10-11 per hour) with no benefits.

• Workforce: In October, ACF issued a memo indicating ”child care staff hiring is more challenging than ever” and “urg[ing] states, communities, and local programs to take bold action now to invest ARP funds and other sources of COVID-19 relief funding to address the current ECE workforce shortage this fall and beyond.”
• State investment: The state reimbursement rate for child care pays only about 50 percent of providers’ current costs. Delaware’s pre-K offering is ranked 39^th of all states in providing funding for children in poverty.
• Access: The state child care subsidy only covers 10,000 children under 12 (about eight percent or 1/5 who are eligible). And Delaware ranks 42^nd among all states in terms of access to state funded pre-K.

 

Advocates and community leaders are pushing for the state to invest $55 million in the FY23 Budget: $40 million in child care and $15 million in pre-K.

Share your support for this commitment with the governor and your legislator.

 

Long-Term Vision and Opportunity

Delaware and the nation are re-thinking early learning as a public good—an approach seen in the U.S. when children turn five in public education. But nations like Denmark, for example, invest in care for toddlers at a rate more than three times higher than the U.S.

That could change soon. President Joe Biden has put forward a proposal to prepare the U.S. for:

• Universal pre-K for all three-and four-year olds, serving 19,400 more children in Delaware
• Broad expansion of child care that will cover costs of quality care, pay living wages to staff on par with K-12 educators, and cover families up to 250 percent median income; in Delaware this will benefit 53,000 families

 

While Congress has not yet approved this proposal and federal guidance on implementation is not expected for several months, states will have to commit a funding match, and infrastructure investments will be needed to reach the expansive program outlined in the federal proposal. For Delaware, this will mean investments in:

• Early learning workforce—including living wages and benefits for staff—at parity with K-12 educators
• Higher standards for the workforce—including associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees for teachers
• Facilities—today, Delaware doesn’t fund the buildings in which child care operates

 

As we watch the congressional process and federal guidance play out, Delaware’s foundation must be built—this is the biggest investment in families and young children in generations, and Delaware has an opportunity to build the comprehensive system we need.

After over a decade of studies and advocacy for more efficient, streamlined early childhood services, Delaware is making significant progress in consolidating its oversight and governance.

As advocates and experts have noted, the government bodies that oversee early childhood issues in Delaware is fragmented, at best. At one time, there were 11 divisions (now we have 8) related to early childhood education spread across three government agencies: the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families—leading to an inefficient and complex system for families and professionals to navigate.

Calls for consolidation are not new. The Vision Coalition’s 10-year plan for education, Student Success 2025, called for greater consolidation and alignment in early learning governance. Specifically, “an aligned state governance structure to enable unified and efficient decision making.” Delawareans still think that holds true today, as we heard via the public feedback the administration received during the PDG strategic planning process, led by the Office of Early Learning and Early Childhood Council.

• Families often describe feeling discouraged, isolated, or lost when dealing with early learning bureaucracy. They instead turn to family, friends, and neighbors for “formal care” for their children, in the absence of realistic support.
• Professionals find the system difficult to navigate, especially with political, regulatory, and administrative obstacles in place. Greater compensation and deeper training are glaring needs. Last year, we suggested that local and national experts be engaged to develop a plan for consolidation.

 

Timeline: Delaware Early Childhood Governance Milestones

2009:

• Policy Matters working group recommends consolidating early learning governance

 

2015:

• Student Success 2025 plan recommends consolidated early childhood governance

 

2018:

• Vision Coalition Leadership Team makes detailed recommendations to Governor for consolidated governance

 

2019:

• SB187 passes moving OCCL to DOE as of  July 1, 2020
• DHSS commits to moving CCDF quality dollars to DOE as of July 1, 2020
• GACEC recommends consolidation to Governor
• Vision Coalition recommends moving IDEA Part C 0-3 and quality dollars to DOE

 

2020:

• OCCL moves into DOE
• Quality dollars move to DOE
• DOE creates new Associate Secretary of Early Childhood Support position to oversee consolidated governance
• Provider data system and student registration and enrollment data system integration planning begins
• Stars Redesign underway

 

Thankfully, Delaware leaders are working on solutions.

In 2019, Governor Carney signed Senate Bill 187, a first step toward unified and streamlined early learning governance in Delaware. The bill connects the Delaware Stars for Early Success standards with the Office of Child Care Licensing regulations and removes the Office of Child Care Licensing from the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families and puts it within the Department of Education to facilitate that consistency.

And in November, Yvette Sanchez Fuentes became Delaware’s first-ever Associate Secretary for Early Childhood Support. This position, created by reallocating existing roles, oversees both the Office of Early Learning and the Office of Child Care Licensing.

What is under consideration next for streamlining and simplifying early childhood services in Delaware?

• Moving IDEA Part C (0-3) into DOE with IDEA Part B (3-5), as recommended.
• Implementing the full intent of SB187 “The Department of Education shall ensure that Delaware Stars for Early Success standards are consistent with the regulations of the Office of Child Care Licensing,” bringing Delaware into the group of states that have tiered licensure systems, where all licensed providers are rated.
• Aligning Early Learning Foundations with K-12 learning standards.
• Moving parts of child care policy and funding decisionmaking from Division of Social Services to the Department of Education.

 

 

Delaware’s Secretary of Education, Dr. Susan Bunting, has a penchant for quality early learning. The Selbyville native, who previously helmed one of the state’s largest districts in Indian River, is a firm believer in the powers of high-quality pre-K. It’s why she helped spearhead the acclaimed Project V.I.L.L.A.G.E. program for four-year-olds who came from low-income Indian River families.

We caught up with Sec. Bunting to talk Project V.I.L.L.A.G.E., and her early learning priorities as the head of Delaware’s educational efforts.

 

As a lifelong educator, parent, and grandparent, tell us about your experience with children who get high-quality learning experiences before they get to kindergarten.

 

It can be hard to separate my parent/grandparent and educator selves, but in both areas, I see the need for children to be ready for kindergarten to be able to maximize what happens when they get there.

 

My mother was an educator, so I think this was always bred into me. I am one of those people who was reading to babies in utero and to infants.

 

We see the impact of high-quality learning before children get to kindergarten—the vocabulary of children who are read to and spoken with, and those who have context about what they are reading so they can understand the story and the ideas.

 

The children who have had some preschool experience are oriented to school, to a schedule, to finishing a task, and how to interact with each other. While the children who have no experience are not as well prepared. Without something miraculous happening, the gap these children enter with is something that persists throughout their lives.

 

What can you tell us about your approach and prioritization as Secretary of Education when it comes to early childhood education? Where would you like to see us go as a state?

 

I am particularly focused on what happens before kindergarten, because for those who have high-quality experiences, their transition is so much easier.

 

I would like to see Delaware make sure all students are entering with the skills they need to be ready to learn.

 

In addition, I am particularly concerned about the economically challenged child that might not otherwise have an early learning experience.

One of the success stories you were known for as Indian River’s superintendent was Project V.I.L.L.A.G.E. How did that program come to be? And, how did it inform your perspective on early learning?

 

When I was in the Indian River School District, we had the opportunity to apply for an Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) [Delaware’s state funded pre-K program for four-year-olds from low-income families] grant. We didn’t have anyone to run it, so I was the administrator who ran the program, registered children, and oversaw the staff. And, to our board’s credit, they devoted district and Title I funds to the program.

 

A member of the community, a local priest, raised concerns about helping new migrant, Spanish-speaking neighbors in Sussex. He saw the need to work with children of workers at agricultural plants, which is why the program focused on English learners. The program has made a major difference for those students, so much that we have been able to track their progress throughout school and demonstrate that they continue to outperform their non-participating peers.

 

I remember when I was registering a family, a woman in tears said to me, “I always dreamed my children would have the opportunity to go to preschool…you are making it happen for my granddaughter.” I am still in touch with that child, who is thriving today.

 

The program, which is still in place today, received national recognition from the American Association of School Administrators and the National Association of State Boards of Education, and we were even able to create a scholarship for Project VILLAGE students who go on to college. It warms my heart to see the kids attending graduate programs, serving as leaders in student council, and coming back to teach in the district.

 

A number of districts have sought to expand their pre-K offerings for four-year-olds and to work with the early childhood community on shared professional development, walkthroughs, and other collaborations. What do you think has driven their efforts? And, how can we prioritize the teachers who are the most important factor in the classroom with students every day?

 

There is a growing interest in developing relationships with early learning programs and districts. One of the things we did in Indian River was include our ECAP teachers in district professional learning to ensure we had alignment and training for our workforce. Our reading specialists held workshops at night with child care and family child care providers on topics such as how to learn through music and how to read a book to a child. The specialists also went out to child care providers to model how to engage children in reading.

 

Other districts’ efforts are driven by recognition of lack of preparation for kindergarten. They see in their kindergarten screening/diagnostic tools that children are not where they should be in terms of vocabulary and basic concepts.

 

We saw last month from NIEER that some of our neighboring states are putting more emphasis on expanding state-sponsored pre-K for four-year-olds. How should we in Delaware approach pre-K?

 

We have seen a thirst to expand—in districts and in the community, and more can be done through ECAP efforts and other strategies. We see the opportunity, interest, and energy—to truly impact more children who need support. We will need resources and public will.

 

We are working with districts to leverage federal funding streams and opportunities in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and the state is being supported by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and national experts to look at the policies involved in expanding high quality pre-K.

 

You’re a self-titled “die-hard optimist”—what are the biggest opportunities you see for Delaware’s students?

 

I am optimistic because we have caring educators, and we have more and more people who understand the importance of high-quality early childhood learning experiences—and that it is not babysitting but true learning and development.

 

As Hellen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

 

We truly can impact forever the trajectory of a child by making sure he or she is ready to learn—and we have lots of work to do for kids!