Bills look to boost Delaware child care standards, student mental health: Education roundup

Delaware lawmakers hope to protect quality and safety standards across child care facilities statewide.

Last Wednesday, a legislative package got three steps closer. Proposed bills hope to strengthen state oversight, streamline records and better ensure the safety of children being served. An entirely different bill, passing in the House, looks to establish a mental health services unit for Delaware high schools.

Out of Legislative Hall, Wilmington Montessori School hopes to attract you and other community members to its "Empty Bowl" event for local and international charities. Intrigued? Keep scrolling. And farther down the state, Indian River schools are celebrating a few wins, as students and buildings land national distinctions.

In this weekly roundup, we'll catch you up on these education updates you may have missed.

[Did we miss another good education story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com.]

3-bill package looks to safeguard quality standards in Delaware child care facilities

Sen. Kyle Evans Gay introduced a package of bills last week aiming to give families greater assurance that Delaware's child care facilities "are being held to the highest standards of safety and accountability," according to an announcement last week.

Two parts of the package look to help strengthen state oversight of such facilities, while another stands to help the same outfits better protect the safety of the young children they serve.

• Senate Joint Resolution 7 would direct the state's Department of Education to adopt an electronic licensing record system and registry of child care professionals by June 1, 2026, with a report on the agency’s progress due by the end of next January. This includes an online application process to join the system as well.

• Senate Bill 294 would eliminate the existing salary schedule for child care licensing specialists, supervisors and administrators, continuing a transfer of the Office of Child Care Licensing to DOE. This should allow for better alignment across staff salaries, according to lawmakers, attracting strong employees.

• Senate Bill 295 looks to reinforce that prospective child care professionals with prior experience must provide "service letters" to health care and child care facilities before they can be hired. Letters would need to include statements from prior employers regarding "any concerns they have about the job candidate working with children and any warnings, reprimands, suspensions or discharge the job candidate received."

County police: After 3-year-old nearly drowns in covered pool, Bear child care worker charged

“As we expand access to childcare opportunities for more families, we also need to do more to make sure that providers have a strong, professional workforce and our state is doing its part to make sure licensed providers are implementing best practices to prevent children from being harmed,” Sen. Gay said in a press release May 8.

Rep. Cyndie Romer, prime sponsor of SJR 7 in the House, agreed.

“Childcare isn't just a service," she said of the package headed to the Senate Education Committee for consideration. "It's a fundamental support system for working families."

Hosted by Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children, Rodel and other partners, an "Early Childhood Advocacy Day" event is set for May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dover Library and then Legislative Hall. The free event hopes to bring providers, parents, advocates and lawmakers together.

Child-care centers: Struggle for affordable child care persists in Delaware. That's for parents and providers

Lawmakers look to bolster mental health resources for high schoolers

The entire House said yes.

Last Thursday, a bill sponsored by Rep. Valerie Longhurst among a list of fellow co-sponsors found support to move onto the Senate for consideration. The act aims to establish a mental health services unit for Delaware high schools, within three years.

At full structure, that's offering a final ratio of 250 students for one full-time school counselor, school social worker or licensed clinical social worker in Delaware's public schools. And the ratio for a full-time school psychologist would be 700 to one. Total cost by fiscal year 2026 is expected to reach $33.8 million, in combined local and state unit funds, according to the fiscal note.

One in 5 youth are affected by a mental health disorder nationally, the bill states with National Institute of Mental Health statistics, while some 50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14.

“For the past several years our students have been forced to overcome an unprecedented set of barriers, and many are struggling with their mental health in ways many of us can’t even begin to understand,” said Longhurst, speaker of the house, in a statement.

“Mental health providers save lives by creating spaces where students can feel comfortable working through their problems and developing solutions.”

With the marching orders to prioritize hiring in these roles, this act also creates a reimbursement program to encourage current school employees to gain certifications or licensure in "critical need" areas.

Flashback in Leg Hall: Delaware lawmakers confront mental health crisis for teens with these bills last year

2 Delaware students land scholarships at $25,000 and $10,000

Two Indian River School District students recently landed scholarships from the Horatio Alger Association.

Yamileth Lopez-Renoj of Sussex Central High School received a National Horatio Alger Scholarship valued at $25,000, according to the district, while Vivian Felipe-Lucas of Indian River High School was awarded a Delaware Horatio Alger Scholarship valued at $10,000.

Lopez-Renoj was the only student from Delaware to be named a 2024 National Scholar and just the seventh from Sussex Central. Felipe-Lucas was one of four students from Delaware and three from Sussex County to receive the state award.

"The Horatio Alger Association provides scholarship assistance to deserving young people who have demonstrated integrity, determination in overcoming personal adversity, academic potential and the personal aspiration to make a unique contribution to society," the district wrote in a press release last week. Each year, the association awards 100 national scholarships to seniors across the country.

That's more than $262 million to more than 35,000 students in the United States and Canada, since its 1984 inception.

High school rankings: U.S. News & World Report just ranked Delaware’s top schools. But what do they miss?

Wilmington Montessori to host 'Empty Bowl Event' raising money for charity

Think: empty bowls.

Now, students from Wilmington Montessori School are looking for help getting money in a few of them — the Delaware Food Bank, the World Food Program, Water for South Sudan and Water is Life Kenya.

There will literally be bowls. Leading up to their "Empty Bowl Event" on May 22, middle school and upper elementary students have been exploring food and water insecurity through research, readings and volunteering at the Delaware Food Bank, according to the school. Students have also crafted bowls and serving platters, with the help of The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, to provide at the event.

Tickets, purchased online, will include a handmade bowl, full dinner and an "evening of fun" as the school looks to bring the community together to recognize youngsters engaging in "service-learning initiatives." Adults are $30; children, $10.

So far, according to a school spokesperson, students have raised about $1,000.

"The purpose of this event is to bring our community together to share a meal and raise money to support those who don't have access to food and water," students wrote on the event website they designed.

If you go

What: WMS Empty Bowl Event

When: 5:30 to 7:30, Wednesday, May 22

Where: Wilmington Montessori School — 1400 Harvey Road, Ardencroft

Tickets available at bit.ly/WMSEmptyBowl

Indian River schools snag national distinction in STEM program

Georgetown Elementary, John M. Clayton Elementary and Millsboro Middle School were all recognized last week as a 2023-24 "Distinguished Schools" within a national network of STEM-focused education.

Project Lead The Way — a nonprofit serving millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S. with STEM curriculums, according to Indian River School District — gives the honor to a select number of schools for "providing broad access to transformative learning" through its materials.

Georgetown landed the recognition just three years into having the PLTW Launch programming. Millsboro just claimed the honor as a "Distinguished Gateway School" for the third year running.

“Georgetown Elementary is proud to provide STEM education for every student,” said teacher Nicole Morey in a district press release. “Through the Project Lead the Way Launch program, students discover and learn through activities, projects and problems."

Studies show, the district said in its announcement, that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, or think they are any good at, math and science. For consideration here, schools had to have more than 75% student body participation.

"Whether designing a car safety belt or building digital animations based on their own short stories, PLTW Launch students engage in critical and creative thinking, build teamwork skills and develop a passion for and confidence in STEM subjects," the district wrote.

High school rankings: U.S. News & World Report just ranked Delaware’s top schools. But what do they miss?

Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware bills look to strengthen standards for child care facilities