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SJR14 • 2025

DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY AND REPORT ON WORKFORCE DATA RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.

DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY AND REPORT ON WORKFORCE DATA RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.

Education Healthcare Housing Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Cruce
Last action
2026-05-19
Official status
House Education 5/19/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify any actions to be taken after the report is submitted.

Study on Public Education Support Workers

This resolution directs the Department of Education to compile a report about workforce data and compensation for public education support professionals.

What This Bill Does

  • Directs the Department of Education to create a comprehensive report regarding workforce data and compensation for education support professionals from the most recent school year.
  • Requires the report to include staffing levels, vacancies, average wages paid, and the number of employees earning below $40 per hour.
  • The Department must recommend pay scales that align with a minimum living wage based on family size and needs.
  • Submits this information to relevant state offices by November 2, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Department of Education
  • Local education agencies (schools)
  • Public education support workers

Terms To Know

Living wage
A minimum hourly pay rate that allows a worker to cover basic living expenses such as housing, food, and healthcare.
Local Education Agency (LEA)
An organization responsible for providing public education in a specific area or district.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen after the report is submitted.
  • It only requires data collection and reporting, without mandating changes to pay scales or staffing levels based on the findings.

Amendments

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

SA 1

1 • Cruce

Passed 5/14/26

Plain English: The amendment removes the part of the bill that required the study to include suggested pay rates for public education support professionals.

  • Removes the requirement for the report to contain recommended hourly, weekly, and bi-weekly wage rates.
  • Does not provide information on what other parts of the bill are affected by this change.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-19 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Education Committee in House

  2. 2026-05-14 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment SA 1 to SJR 14 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT

  3. 2026-05-14 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

  4. 2026-05-13 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment SA 1 to SJR 14 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  5. 2026-04-22 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits

  6. 2026-04-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY AND REPORT ON WORKFORCE DATA RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.
This Joint Resolution directs the Department of Education to compile and submit a comprehensive report regarding the workforce data and compensation of education support professionals for the most recent school year. The report must identify staffing levels, vacancies, average wages paid, and the number of employees earning below a $40 hourly wage threshold. The Department is further required to recommend pay scales that align with a minimum living wage and submit its findings to the General Assembly and relevant state offices by November 2, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Cruce & Rep. K. Williams

Sens. Brown, Buckson, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lawson, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson; Reps. Berry, Gorman, Morrison, Neal, Osienski

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 14

DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY AND REPORT ON WORKFORCE DATA RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.

WHEREAS, education support professionals are critical members of the public education workforce whose work keeps Delaware’s public schools running and supports student learning, health, and safety; and

WHEREAS, education support professionals consist of the following career families: food service, transportation, custodial and maintenance workers, clerical services, security services, IT services, skilled trades, and paraeducators or other individual student aides; and

WHEREAS, despite their critical role, Delaware’s education support professionals often must take on a second job to support their families; and

WHEREAS, Delaware has a compelling interest in maintaining a stable, qualified, and respected education workforce across all local education agencies (LEA); and

WHEREAS, fair and adequate compensation affirms the dignity of work and reflects the value of education support professionals to Delaware’s public education system; and

WHEREAS, persistent vacancies and high turnover among education support professionals undermine continuity of services and place additional strain on remaining staff and school communities; and

WHEREAS, compensation that fails to meet basic living standards limits workforce sustainability and challenges the State’s ability to recruit and retain skilled education support professionals; and

WHEREAS, ensuring that members of the education workforce earn at least a minimum living wage supports family stability, workforce retention, and strong school communities; and

WHEREAS, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Living Wage Calculator, an individual in a household with 1 adult and 1 child must earn $39.89 per hour to support themselves and their family, working full-time; and

WHEREAS, informed policy decisions require accurate and comprehensive data regarding workforce size, vacancies, and compensation; and

WHEREAS, the collection and analysis of such data will assist the General Assembly in evaluating existing compensation structures and considering future investments in the education workforce; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly affirms its commitment to valuing education support professionals as essential public servants whose work advances the public good and the educational mission of the State.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, that the Department of Education shall develop a report on the following information for the most recent school year in which data have been collected.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education shall include the following in the report:

a. The number of currently employed education support professionals by local education agency, job classification, and whether the education support professionals are considered temporary or permanent employees.

b. The number of permanent and temporary vacant education support professional positions by local education agency.

c. The number of currently employed education support professionals statewide that earn less than $40 per hour, by LEA and job classification.

d. The number of currently employed education support professionals by LEA and job classification that are working on a casual/seasonal basis. For this determination, a casual/seasonal employee works less than 29.75 hours per week.

e. For each job classification of education support professionals, the average hourly rate paid by the LEA and the difference between the current rate paid compared to a $40 per hour rate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report shall include a recommended hourly, weekly, and bi-weekly rate to ensure all members of the education workforce earn at least the minimum living wage, as determined by the MIT Living Wage Calculator.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for the purposes of this report, education support professionals must include the following nonsupervisory job categories: food service, transportation, custodial and maintenance workers, clerical services, security services, IT services, skilled trades, and paraeducators or other individual student aides.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education shall collaborate with the LEAs to ensure the collection and validation of this data for inclusion in the final report.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education must submit the report to the House Education Chair, the Senate Education Chair, the Chairs of the Joint Finance Committees, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Controller General by November 2, 2026.

SYNOPSIS

This Joint Resolution directs the Department of Education to compile and submit a comprehensive report regarding the workforce data and compensation of education support professionals for the most recent school year. The report must identify staffing levels, vacancies, average wages paid, and the number of employees earning below a $40 hourly wage threshold. The Department is further required to recommend pay scales that align with a minimum living wage and submit its findings to the General Assembly and relevant state offices by November 2, 2026.

Author: Senator Cruce