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HB379 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

Children Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Berry
Last action
2026-06-16
Official status
Lieu/Substituted 5/14/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill passed the House but is currently assigned to a Senate committee; it has not yet been enacted into law.

HB379: Updates School Discipline Support Programs

This bill changes which state agencies run a program that offers prevention-related student support services to promote positive behavior and prevent academic failure.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the lead agency from the Family Services Cabinet Council to the Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.
  • Requires these agencies to administer a program offering prevention-related student support services to students in schools.
  • Allows school districts to apply for grants to fund academic tutoring, mentoring, family outreach, mental health access, conflict resolution training, and teacher behavior management assistance.
  • Gives preference to grant applications involving multiple school districts working together or including community partners.
  • Sets a deadline of January 15 each year for finalizing funding awards based on available money.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Delaware Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families
  • Local school districts in Delaware applying for prevention grants
  • Students who receive support services to improve behavior or grades

Terms To Know

Prevention-related student support services
Programs like tutoring, mentoring, and mental health help designed to promote positive behavior and prevent academic failure.
Restorative practices
Training included in the program to help teachers better manage student behavior.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The program can only spend money if the state legislature approves funding in its annual budget.
  • Grants are limited by the amount of appropriations made for this specific purpose.
  • Final awards depend on whether enough funds are available after planning and review.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-16 Delaware General Assembly

    HS 1 for HB 379 - Passed By House. Votes: 27 YES 11 NO 3 ABSENT

  2. 2026-06-16 Delaware General Assembly

    HS 1 for HB 379 - Assigned to Education Committee in Senate

  3. 2026-06-10 Delaware General Assembly

    HS 1 for HB 379 - Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 1 Favorable, 12 On Its Merits

  4. 2026-05-14 Delaware General Assembly

    Substituted in House by HS 1 for HB 379

  5. 2026-05-06 Delaware General Assembly

    Not Worked in Committee

  6. 2026-04-23 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 THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
This Act adds clarifying language to the comprehensive school discipline improvement program to explicitly offer prevention related student support services. This Act also changes references to the council to the Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Berry & Sen. Sturgeon

Reps. Morrison, Gorman

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 379

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

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

Section 1. Amend § 1605A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1605A. Prevention component.

The Family Services Cabinet Council (Council), with the

The

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families acting as lead agencies,

shall

must

administer a program to offer prevention-related student support services (prevention services) to students

to prevent them from becoming discipline problems and from failing academically

to promote positive student behavior and prevent them from failing academically

in our schools. Within the limits of appropriations made for this purpose, the

Council shall

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families must

provide rules and regulations for the award of prevention grants and the conduct of prevention programs authorized under this section, subject to the following limitations:

(1)

The Council shall

The Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families must

issue prevention funding to local school districts proposing to establish an integrated plan to deliver prevention services

including, but not limited to,

including:

a.

academic

Academic

tutoring and student mentoring programs to provide at-risk students with the extra help they may need to succeed academically and with positive adult

role models;

role models.

b.

outreach

Outreach

programs to promote parental,

family

family.

and community involvement in students’ academic studies and in reducing and resolving

school discipline problems;

challenges to positive student behavior.

c.

school-linked

School-linked

support services to help students with family or health problems that may be adversely affecting their academic performance and their conduct at

school;

school.

d.

training

Training

to help students and school personnel resolve conflicts peacefully and

non-disruptively;

non-disruptively.

e. Removing barriers that prevent or limit the time available for school-based mental health professionals to proactively provide necessary direct or indirect services to students, compensating school employees to serve as school climate content experts,

and assistance to help teachers better manage the behavior of students in their

classrooms.

classrooms, including training in restorative practices, and support for district-level committees to revise discipline policies to reduce subjectivity and provide greater clarity regarding behavioral expectations and appropriate consequences.

(2) Applications for funding pursuant to this section shall be made by school districts in accordance with procedures and standards established by the

Council.

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.

Each applicant shall set forth an integrated plan to provide prevention services consistent with paragraph (1) of this section. To avoid duplication of effort, maximize the impact of limited resources, and increase the effect of efforts by state, local, community and private, nonprofit agencies through increased coordination and cooperation, the

Council

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

shall give preference to applications which:

a. Are submitted by 2 or more school districts working in concert, where appropriate;

b. Include private, nonprofit agencies and community organizations as partners in the application, and identify the roles those agencies and organizations are to play in delivering prevention services in the community;

c. Indicate how grants from the federal government and foundations will be used or sought to help deliver prevention services in the community; and

d. Identify the roles state and local agencies are to play in delivering prevention services in the community.

(3) The

Council shall

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families must

provide technical assistance to districts preparing applications and ongoing assistance to districts awarded funding pursuant to this section.

(4) The

Council shall

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families must

establish a timetable for the award of grants pursuant to this section which shall provide, at minimum, for a period of 1 month for joint planning between the

Council

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

and the applicants that the

Counsel

Departments

selects

select

as finalists eligible for a funding award. During such joint planning, the

Council

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

and the applicant shall refine the applicant’s prevention plan, ensure that the plan makes cost-effective use of the resources and services of state, local, community and private, nonprofit agencies, and consider the incorporation of successful elements of other districts’ prevention programs into the applicant’s plans. Final awards shall be made by the

Council

Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

on or before January 15 of each year for the subsequent school year, contingent upon the appropriation of funds for such purpose in the annual appropriations act.

SYNOPSIS

This Act adds clarifying language to the comprehensive school discipline improvement program to explicitly offer prevention related student support services. This Act also changes references to the council to the Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.