DSU, WilmU land $4 million in grants; lawmakers could bump teacher pay: Education roundup

Delaware is eyeing pay increases for educators.

That includes teachers, paraprofessionals, food service workers, custodians and much more. Lawmakers are beginning to consider how to move forward with recommendations released late last year by special committee, looking to raise Delaware's base teacher salary to $60,000.

Speaking of money, Wilmington University and Delaware State University affiliates just landed grants totaling nearly $4 million combined.

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

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

Delaware lawmakers hear educator pay raise recommendations

Back in October 2023, one committee recommended a phased increase to Delaware's base teacher salary to grow it to $60,000. Total recommendations across positions would reach about $232 million over four years.

Last week, lawmakers got to dig in.

Members of House and Senate Education Committees called attention to local school district responsibility, meeting jointly last Thursday afternoon, while expressing concerns that all districts could foot the bill lined out in Public Education Compensation Committee's report. This comes as the state would be responsible for 70% of the salary swells, while districts handle the remaining 30%. Members also discussed increasing incentives within the process.

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The recommendations come across education jobs, with pay adjustments that bump salaries with annual raises and stipends. Teachers and professional staff could see a 2% increase plus a $1,875 stipend, while paraprofessionals see a 1% increase and stipends ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. More examples, from food service to IT, fill the committee report.

"We anticipate that when the Governor’s recommended budget comes out in just a few weeks that some of this will possibly be addressed,” said Secretary of Education Mark Holodick as he presented the report.

The hope is to see Delaware regionally competitive, meeting ongoing efforts to strengthen an educator pipeline. Lawmakers can accept some, all or none of the report's points.

Gov. John Carney is expected to announce his budget plans this month.

Delaware State, Wilmington University land millions from the Longwood Foundation

The Longwood Foundation calls itself a catalyst for nonprofits.

By the end of last year, its grantees in education included Wilmington University and Delaware State University affiliates — with gifts totaling nearly $4 million combined.

For Delaware's HBCU, that includes the Delaware State University Foundation's receiving $1.75 million to support the expansion of the Department of Nursing, according to Longwood's announcement, aimed at growing the number of nursing and allied health graduates.

Still down in Dover, Longwood awarded $1.2 million toward "Braven," helping to launch student-support programming at Delaware State. Braven partners with colleges, universities, and employers aiming to offer a "career-accelerating experience" through a credit-bearing college course and a post-course opportunity after graduation.

Wilmington University saw $1 million given to support the expansion of its Brandywine Campus. This makes way for a new convocation center and law school building.

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Is your kid's school in good condition? Soon a state tool will help you find out

Delaware Department of Education released tools last week, set to soon "help assure the safety of public school buildings" throughout the state.

The department was directed by law to create an "evaluation and assessment system," DDOE said in an announcement, to determine whether school facilities are in good repair. So, this facility assessment tool aims to help school districts review and assess their conditions in a standardized way.

As districts respond — required each year in May, alongside a board-approved repair and maintenance plan — the assessments are intended to find areas that need attention.

DDOE will continue to provide technical support. May 2024 marks the first deadline.

The legislation also directed the Department of Public Health to establish a routine indoor air quality monitoring program and temperature and humidity standards for schools. Now, The DPH program has developed a webpage for schools and the public.

By May 2025, local boards of education must be in full compliance with their routine indoor air quality monitoring program.

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

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Teachers, custodians, paras: Delaware educators may see increased pay