Delaware Senate Republican leaders are applauding Governor Matt Meyer’s recent stance against the state’s controversial electric vehicle (EV) mandate, signaling renewed efforts to block the regulation first introduced under former Governor John Carney. Senate Republican Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, has circulated an updated version of Senate Bill 96, which aims to halt the adoption of the regulation modeled after California’s …
A Georgetown man who was a firefighter and Sussex County employee was killed Tuesday afternoon after he stopped on his way back to county offices to help at an accident. Thomas Wilson Berry III, 23, died just before 4:30 p.m. at a vehicle crash on U.S. 9/Lewes-Georgetown Highway. Some reports say he was struck and killed, but others said he …
One state legislature is looking to bolster the verification process for the credentials of educators. Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, is specifically calling for a comprehensive audit of the credential verification process for child counselors. Among a number of recent arrests due to educators having inappropriate contact with minors, Pettyjohn cited a recent report by WHYY in which a …
At the conclusion of its first year, a new program at Delaware State University focused on training professionals to serve the state’s youngest learners, graduated 13 people with degrees and gave credentials to hundreds more. DSU’s Early Childhood Innovation Center aims to empower and cultivate a highly skilled, educated and diverse workforce by providing holistic, comprehensive and evidence-based supports. Its …
Private schools will be exempted from parts of Delaware’s Safe School Zone law, which focuses on who is allowed to have a firearm on campus, under a bill that seems headed to the Senate floor. Senate Bill 224, sponsored by Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, exempts certain employees of a private school from the Safe School Zone law. Only …
On the day Gov. John Carney preached the impact of working together in his State of the State address, the Senate watched a tense interaction divided by party lines that one legislator called “childish behavior.” The interaction between Sen. Eric Buckson, R-Dover, and Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark/Glasgow, and their similar education task force resolutions were enough to cause comment from …
Laws that would establish a Bill of Rights for student loan borrowers and adjust the transfer of leave days for educators garnered support in a Senate Education Committee hearing Wednesday. Senate Bill 132, sponsored by Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington, would make Delaware the 19th state to have a Bill of Rights for student loan burrowers. Of the 18 states who …
A proposed law that intends to hold state legislators accountable for unethical behavior was showcased in the second of a series of press conferences each Wednesday by the Republican Party. House Bill 261, sponsored by Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, would establish the Office of Legislative Ethics for the General Assembly to ensure that valid allegations of wrongdoing by state …
Delaware’s General Assembly will have its first public look and discussion about proposed educator pay raise recommendations next week. At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, the House and Senate education committees will come together to listen to a presentation on the final report from the Public Education Compensation Committee. Watch the meeting here. The 15-person compensation committee – made of …
There was little cheering news Tuesday when Delaware released its 2023 state assessment results. The numbers are still grim, with the majority of students across the board failing to reach proficiency in math and reading. “I can’t imagine anyone looking at these test results and saying they are good enough,” said Julia Keleher, the new executive director of First State …
