HB12 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TEACHER ACADEMY SCHOLARSHIPS.

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: K. Williams
Last action: 2026-06-25
Official status: Passed 6/25/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of the law is listed as available for students entering or enrolled beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

Teacher Academy Scholarship Act

This law creates a $2,500 one-time scholarship for Delaware students who finished a Teacher Academy program and are now studying to become teachers in their first year of college.

What This Bill Does

Creates the Teacher Academy scholarship for eligible students enrolled in an educator preparation program.
Provides an award of $2,500 that can be paid in two equal parts during one school year.
Limits the number of scholarships to no more than 35 per year based on available funding.
Requires applicants to apply for other financial aid first and accept all non-loan offers before receiving this scholarship.

Who It Names or Affects

Students who completed a Delaware Teacher Academy program in high school.
Full-time students enrolled in an approved educator preparation program at a Delaware college or university with the intent to earn a bachelor's degree.
The Department of Education, which manages the awards and sets rules if there are more applicants than money.

Terms To Know

Teacher Academy: A high school career program in Delaware public schools that prepares students for careers as elementary or secondary teachers.
Educator preparation program: A college-level training course approved by the Department of Education to train future teachers.

Limits and Unknowns

The scholarship is only available for one year and cannot be renewed.
If more students apply than there is money, the Department of Education will create a competition process to choose winners.
Future expansion depends on student interest and whether funding remains available.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA 1

1 • K. Williams

Passed

Plain English: Passed 1 by K. Williams

The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

2026-06-25 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2026-03-18 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 7 Favorable
2026-03-10 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 12 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2026-03-10 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 12 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
2026-03-10 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 37 YES 4 ABSENT
2026-03-10 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Education Committee in Senate
2025-01-29 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 2 Favorable, 11 On Its Merits
2025-01-22 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TEACHER ACADEMY SCHOLARSHIPS.
This Act creates a scholarship for students who have completed a Delaware Teacher Academy and are enrolled in a Delaware Educator Preparation Program. This scholarship supplements the Educator Support Scholarship and is intended to fill a $2500 funding gap for aspiring educators who are in their first year at an Educator Preparation Program. No more than 35 scholarships may be awarded. The scholarship will be expanded based on interest and funding in subsequent school years and will continue as funding is available.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. K. Williams & Sen. Sturgeon

Reps. Burns, Lambert, Neal, Hilovsky, S. Moore, Ross Levin, Gorman, Harris, Romer; Sens. Hansen, Hoffner, Walsh, Lockman, Poore, Sokola

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 12

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TEACHER ACADEMY SCHOLARSHIPS.

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

Section 1. Amend Subchapter IV, Chapter 34, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 3438A. Teacher Academy scholarship.

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Career and Technical Education programs” mean programs established by the Department of Education that provide students with rigorous academic content, relevant technical knowledge and skills, and leadership development in a particular field or provide students with the opportunity to participate in work-based learning and to earn a recognized postsecondary credential as well as advanced postsecondary credit or standing in a particular field.

(2) “Educator preparation program” means a program for educator training approved by the Department of Education in accordance with § 1280 of this title.

(3) “Teacher Academy” means a Career and Technical Education program offered in Delaware public schools, including charter and vocational-technical schools, that prepares students for careers in elementary and secondary education.

(b) There is established a Teacher Academy scholarship for individuals who have successfully completed a Teacher Academy and are enrolled in a Delaware college or university.

(c) The scholarship award shall be $2,500 for 1 year only. The money may be paid in 2 equal parts, 1 part to be paid each semester. If there are more applicants than funding available, the Department of Education will develop criteria for a competitive awards process.

(d) To be eligible for a Teacher Academy scholarship, an applicant must have completed a Teacher Academy and be enrolled in an educator preparation program in Delaware as a full-time student with the intent to earn a bachelor’s degree. The applicant must attend the educator preparation program beginning the fall semester directly after high school graduation.

(e) Applicants applying for an educator support scholarship, under § 3438 of this title, shall also be considered for the Teacher Academy scholarship. A separate application for a Teacher Academy scholarship may not be required.

(f) Applicants must apply for all appropriate forms of financial aid for which the student is eligible including the Federal Pell Grant, financial aid programs administered by the Delaware Higher Education Office, and financial aid programs administered by the institution of higher education. Applicants must accept all financial assistance offered or awarded to the applicant, except for loans.

Section 2.

The scholarship created by Section 1 of this Act will be available to students entering or enrolled in an educator preparation program beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. No more than 35 Teacher Academy scholarships may be awarded per year. The scholarship shall be expanded based on interest and funding in subsequent school years and will continue as funding is available.

SYNOPSIS

This Act creates a scholarship for students who have completed a Delaware Teacher Academy and are enrolled in a Delaware Educator Preparation Program. This scholarship supplements the Educator Support Scholarship and is intended to fill a $2500 funding gap for aspiring educators who are in their first year at an Educator Preparation Program. No more than 35 scholarships may be awarded. The scholarship will be expanded based on interest and funding in subsequent school years and will continue as funding is available.