(a) Speech-Language Pathologist Scholarship. — (1) It is the intent and purpose of the General Assembly through this section to enable and encourage Delawareans to pursue careers as speech-language pathologists in Delaware public schools and in the Birth to Three Program under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 USC § 1431 et seq.].

(2) To be eligible for the Speech-Language Pathologist Scholarship, an applicant must be enrolled as full-time student in a master’s degree program in a Delaware postsecondary institution that is accredited, or is a candidate for accreditation, by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and that will lead to licensure as a speech-language pathologist in Delaware.

(3) Application requirements will be established by the Office.

(4) Scholarships will be awarded contingent upon funding from the General Assembly and based on the size of the applicant pool.

(5) Awards may be renewed for a total of 2 years of graduate study, provided the recipient meets the renewal requirements established by the Office.

(b) Speech-Language Pathologist Student Loan Repayment Program. — (1) The Speech-Language Pathologist Student Loan Repayment Program allows qualified applicants to apply for a loan payment from the Office to the applicant’s lending agency to pay a portion of the applicant’s student loan debt. The purpose of the Program is to improve educational outcomes for students in Delaware public schools by working to retain speech-language pathologists who provide professional support services that are of critical importance to students.

(2) To be eligible for the Speech-Language Pathologist Student Loan Payment Program, all of the following must apply:

a. The applicant must be employed full-time as a speech-language pathologist in a Delaware public school for a minimum of 1 school year.

b. The applicant must have secured a qualified educational loan prior to submitting the application. For the purpose of this section, a “qualified educational loan” means a government, commercial, or foundation loan for actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable educational expenses related to the applicant’s undergraduate or graduate degree program.

(3) In addition to the eligibility requirements in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the Office is authorized to adopt regulations that refine or narrow the eligibility requirements.

(4) The application to participate in the Speech-Language Pathologist Student Loan Payment Program must require the applicant to certify that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements of paragraph (b)(2) and any other requirements as provided in the Program’s regulations. The application will otherwise be in the form prescribed by the Office. Applicants must submit a new, completed application each year and any additional information the Office may require as provided in the Program’s regulations.

(5) The Office’s ability to make a loan payment on an applicant’s behalf is contingent upon the availability of funds. If possible, the Office will make a loan payment on behalf of every applicant who satisfies the eligibility requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section and as provided in the Program’s regulations, consistent with the limitations established in paragraph (b)(8) of this section. If there are insufficient funds to make a loan payment on behalf of every applicant who satisfies the eligibility requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section and as provided in the Program’s regulations, the Office must give priority to applicants who have the greatest financial need as determined by the Office. In determining an applicant’s financial need, the Office must request from the applicant the applicant’s income and the total amount of the applicant’s qualified educational loans.

(6) The Office has sole discretion to prioritize applications and determine loan payments consistent with the requirements of paragraph (b)(5) of this section.

(7) If the Office decides to make a loan payment on behalf of an applicant, the Office must make the loan payment directly to the applicant’s lending agency.

(8) A loan payment under this Program may not exceed $5,000 per year. An applicant may receive only 1 loan payment on the applicant’s behalf per year. An applicant may not receive more than 3 loan payments on the applicant’s behalf in the applicant’s lifetime.

(9) If an applicant knowingly submits false information or commits fraud in connection with the application process, the Office may reevaluate the applicant’s eligibility for a loan payment and may withdraw its decision to make a loan payment on the applicant’s behalf. Any loan payment made as a result of deliberate fraud may be recovered by the Department of Justice through an action at law.

83 Del. Laws, c. 413, § 1;  84 Del. Laws, c. 350, § 2; 

(a) Purpose. —

It is the purpose of this program to increase the number of public school teachers with a standard certificate in their area of instruction. This will improve student achievement by enabling and encouraging those teachers to pursue education that will enable them to become fully certified and prepared to deliver high-quality instruction in state-approved critical need areas. This program will provide direct reimbursement to an institute of higher education or Secretary of Education-approved Alternative Routes for Teacher Licensure and Certification Program for coursework taken during the academic year, which includes fall, winter, spring and summer sessions.

(b) Eligibility. —

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

(1) Be full-time employees of a Delaware public school district or a charter school.

(2) Teach on an emergency certification or a certificate of eligibility.

(3) Teach in a critical need area as defined by the Department of Education.

(c) The Department shall identify a list of critical need areas and publish the list on the Department’s website annually.

(d) Eligible institutions of higher education include any out-of-state regionally-accredited college or university, or Alternative Routes for Teacher Licensure and Certification Programs approved by the Delaware Secretary of Education and authorized to operate in Delaware.

(e) Reimbursements. — (1) a. Reimbursement will be provided to eligible institutions and programs identified in subsections (c) and (d) of this section for approved coursework that meets Department of Education requirements.

b. For a full-time employee of a public school district or charter school teaching on an emergency certification or certificate of eligibility, up to 1 of the following per academic year:

1. Two noncredit-bearing seminars or workshops required for certification.

2. Up to 6 credits.

3. One noncredit-bearing seminar or workshop required for certification up to 1 3-credit course.

(2) Reimbursement funds shall be distributed to the institution of higher education upon course completion with a 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for credit bearing courses or an equivalent passing grade in a noncredit-bearing course. Eligible institutions must verify enrollment and course grades prior to disbursement of funds.

(3) Funding may not exceed the cost of tuition and fees or the equivalent at the highest cost public institution in Delaware. If funding exceeds the appropriation, eligible institutions of higher education will be awarded funds in a prorated share of the applicant pool.

(4) The Department may set aside funds as available for teachers meeting these criteria as demand requires.

73 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  1;  74 Del. Laws, c. 160, §§  1-7;  77 Del. Laws, c. 431, §  10;  81 Del. Laws, c. 202, § 16;  83 Del. Laws, c. 46, § 1;  83 Del. Laws, c. 413, § 3;  84 Del. Laws, c. 350, § 2; 

(a) It is the purpose of this program to encourage school-based employees to become licensed mental health providers and remain school employees.

(b) To be eligible for this program, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

(1) Be a full-time employee of a Delaware public school district or a charter school.

(2) Enrolled in a credit-bearing program intended to lead to certification or licensure appropriate for a full-time mental health services provider as required by the Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals.

(3) Have signed a written commitment to work in a Delaware school for at least 3 years after receiving the certification or licensure for which they receive reimbursement under this section.

(c) An eligible institution of higher education is an in-state or out-of-state regionally accredited college or university.

(d) (1) Reimbursement will be provided to eligible institutions for up to 6 credits of approved coursework that meets Department of Education requirements.

(2) Reimbursement funds shall be distributed to the institution of higher education upon course completion with a 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for credit bearing courses or an equivalent passing grade in a noncredit-bearing course. Eligible institutions must verify enrollment and course grades prior to disbursement of funds.

(3) Funding may not exceed the cost of tuition and fees or the equivalent at the highest cost public institution in Delaware. If funding exceeds the appropriation, eligible institutions of higher education will be awarded funds in a prorated share of the applicant pool.

(4) The Department may set aside funds as available for school employees meeting these criteria as demand requires.

84 Del. Laws, c. 350, § 2; 

(a) Establishment; statement of purpose. —

(1) There is hereby established a High Needs Educator Student Loan Payment Program. The Program allows qualified applicants to apply for a payment from the State to the applicant’s lending agency, to pay a portion of the applicant’s student loan debt.

(2) The purpose of the Program is to improve educational outcomes for struggling student populations by working to retain educators of critical importance to those populations, including educators working in certification areas in which Delaware has a shortage and educators working in Delaware’s hardest-to-staff schools.

(3) The application prescribed and policies adopted pursuant to this section shall be available on the Office’s website.

(b) As used in this section:

(1) “Award” means the Office’s decision to make a loan payment on an applicant’s behalf.

(2) “Educator” means as defined in § 1202 of this title. “Educator” includes teachers employed by the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired who teach students with visual impairment.

(3) “English learners” means students with limited English proficiency and who meet the definition of English learner as that term is defined by the Department rules and regulations.

(4) “High needs area” means any of the following:

a. A certification area the Office has identified as being difficult to staff or of critical need.

b. A school in the top quartile in 3 or more of the following:

1. Percentage of low-income students.

2. Percentage of English learners.

3. Percentage of students with disabilities.

4. Percentage of minority students.

c. A school with 90% of its students classified as low-income, English learners, or minority.

d. Any facility operated by the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families in which education programs are provided.

(5) “Loan payment” means a payment by the Office to a successful applicant’s lending agency to retire a portion of the applicant’s qualified educational loan.

(6) “Low-income students” means students within the statewide metric determined by the Department of Education utilizing direct certification for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

(7) “Minority students” means students who are members of a racial or ethnic group other than the racial or ethnic group that represents the majority of the State's population.

(8) “Program” means the High Needs Educator Student Loan Payment Program established in this section.

(9) ”Qualified educational loan” means a government, commercial, or foundation loan for actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable educational expenses related to an educator’s undergraduate or graduate degree program.

(10) “School” means a Delaware public school, including a vocational-technical school and a charter school established pursuant to Chapter 5 of this title.

(11) “Students with disabilities” means students who because of mental, physical, emotional, developmental, speech or learning disability problems, as defined by the Department of Education rules and regulations, require special education and related services in order to develop their own capabilities.

(c) Funding. —

Appropriations for the Program will be made to the Department through the Budget Appropriations Bill in a separate line item appropriation.

(d) Eligibility for Program. —

In order to qualify to participate in the Program, all of the following must apply:

(1) The individual is an educator.

(2) The individual has secured a qualified educational loan prior to submitting an application.

(3) The individual has obtained a license and certificate through the Delaware Department of Education.

(4) The individual has not had an ineffective evaluation on the State’s current evaluation system or the equivalent thereof on a state-approved alternative educator evaluation system.

(5) The individual instructs or provides educational support in an identified high needs area for at least 1 school year.

(e) Application. —

(1) The application to participate in the Program shall require the applicant to certify that they meet the eligibility requirements of subsection (d) of this section. The application shall otherwise be in the form prescribed by the Office.

(2) The applicant must submit a new, completed application each year, along with any additional information the Office may request in accordance with program regulations.

(f) Decision and disbursement. —

(1) The ability to make awards each year is contingent upon the availability of funds.

(2) If possible, the Office shall make an award to every applicant who satisfies the requirements of this section, consistent with the limitations established in subsection (g) of this section.

(3) Where there are insufficient funds to make an award to every applicant who satisfies the requirements of this section, the Office shall give priority to applicants who meet either of the following criteria:

a. Applicants employed in both a certification area and a school that the Office has identified as a “high needs area” as defined in this section.

b. Applicants having the greatest financial need.

(4) The applicants having the greatest financial need shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Office. The Office shall request at least the following information, but the weight to be given to the information shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Office:

a. The applicant’s income.

b. The applicant’s spousal income.

c. The number of the applicant’s dependents.

d. The total amount of the applicant’s qualified educational loans.

(5) The Office has the sole discretion to prioritize applications and determine awards consistent with the requirements of paragraphs (f)(2) and (f)(3) of this section.

(6) The Office shall make a loan payment directly to the applicant’s lending agency on behalf of the applicant.

(7) An applicant may receive only 1 award per year, and may receive no more than 5 awards in the applicant’s lifetime.

(g) Amount of award. —

An award under this section shall be a minimum of $1,000 and shall not exceed $2,000. In order to receive the award, an educator in a school defined as high needs under subsection (b) of this section, must be employed in the same school for which they are applying for the award.

(h) The Department of Education through the Delaware Higher Education Office is authorized to adopt rules and regulations to implement this section, subject to the State Board of Education’s approval. The Office may adopt rules and regulations that refine or narrow eligibility requirements or high needs areas, but in no event shall the Office expand the pool of educators who may receive an award beyond the limits set forth in this section.

(i) Penalties.—

If an applicant knowingly submits false information or commits fraud in connection with the application process, the Office may reevaluate the applicant’s eligibility for an award, and may withdraw an award. Any award made as the result of deliberate fraud may be recovered by the Department of Justice through an action at law.

(j) Annual reporting. —

(1) Each fiscal year, the Office shall report to the chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees of the General Assembly all of the following summary data, which shall be de-identified to the greatest extent possible:

a. The aggregate number of educators who applied for an award.

b. The aggregate number of educators who received an award.

c. The races or ethnicities represented by educators who applied for an award.

d. The races or ethnicities represented by educators who received an award.

e. The certification areas of educators who applied for an award.

f. The certification areas of educators who received an award.

g. The average amount of an award to an educator pursuant to the Program.

h. The names of the schools that employed educators who applied for an award, and for each such school, its percentage of low-income students, English learners, students with disabilities, and minority students.

i. The names of the schools that employed educators who received an award, and for each such school, its percentage of low-income students, English learners, students with disabilities, and minority students.

j. Other summary data identified by the Office as outcome indicators.

(2) The summary data required to be provided under paragraph (j)(1) of this section shall be included with the annual report provided to the General Assembly pursuant to § 3402 of this title.

(k) If any provision of this section or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, unenforceable or unconstitutional, the remainder of such provisions, and the application of such provisions to any person or circumstance other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected.

81 Del. Laws, c. 426, § 183 Del Laws, c 413, 8, effective July 1, 2022; 

(a) It is the intent and purpose of the General Assembly through this section to enable and encourage Delawareans to pursue careers in Delaware public schools as teachers or specialists in specific areas identified as areas of need within the State.

(b) The areas of need will be determined each year by the Office.

(c) To be eligible for the educator support scholarship, all of the following apply:

(1) The applicant must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program of study leading to a career as a teacher or specialist in an area of need as determined by the Office.

(2) The applicant must be a resident of this State.

(3) The applicant must be enrolled at a college or university that is located in Delaware and is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

(d) Contingent upon funding from the General Assembly and based on the size of the applicant pool, at least 1 applicant in each area of need will be awarded the scholarship annually. The amount of the award will be determined by the Office.

(e) Awards are renewable for up to 3 additional years if the recipient remains enrolled in a program of study leading to a career as a teacher or specialist in an area of need as determined by the Office and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

(f) If a particular area is determined to no longer be an area of need, recipients enrolled in a program of study leading to a career in that area are eligible to renew their award up to 3 additional years.

83 Del. Laws, c. 413, § 1; 

(a) Mental Health Services Scholarship. —

(1) To be eligible for the Mental Health Services Scholarship, an applicant must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program in a Delaware postsecondary institution that will lead to certification as a school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker in a Delaware public school.

(2) Application requirements will be established by the Office.

(3) Scholarships will be awarded contingent upon funding from the General Assembly and based on the size of the applicant pool.

(4) Awards may be renewed for a total of 2 years of graduate study, provided the recipient meets the renewal requirements established by the Office.

(b) Mental Health Services Student Loan Repayment Program. — (1) The Mental Health Services Student Loan Repayment Program allows qualified applicants to apply for a loan payment from the Office to the applicant’s lending agency to pay a portion of the applicant’s student loan debt. The purpose of the Program is to improve educational outcomes for students in Delaware public schools by working to retain school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers who provide professional support services that are of critical importance to students.

(2) To be eligible for the Mental Health Services Student Loan Repayment Program, all of the following must apply:

a. The applicant must be employed full-time as a school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker in a Delaware public school for a minimum of 1 school year.

b. The applicant must have secured a qualified educational loan prior to submitting the application. For the purpose of this section, a “qualified educational loan” means a government, commercial, or foundation loan for actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable educational expenses related to the applicant’s undergraduate or graduate degree program.

c. The applicant must hold an educator’s license and certificate issued by the Department.

(3) In addition to the eligibility requirements in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the Office is authorized to adopt regulations that refine or narrow the eligibility requirements.

(4) The application to participate in the Mental Health Services Student Loan Payment Program must require the applicant to certify that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section and as provided in the Program’s regulations. The application will otherwise be in the form prescribed by the Office. Applicants must submit a new, completed application each year and any additional information the Office may require as provided in the Program’s regulations.

(5) The Office’s ability to make a loan payment on an applicant’s behalf is contingent upon the availability of funds. If possible, the Office will make a loan payment on behalf of every applicant who satisfies the eligibility requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section and as provided in the Program’s regulations, consistent with the limitations established in paragraph (b)(8) of this section. If there are insufficient funds to make a loan payment on behalf of every applicant who satisfies the eligibility requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section and as provided in the Program’s regulations, the Office must give priority to applicants who have the greatest financial need as determined by the Office. In determining an applicant’s financial need, the Office must request from the applicant the applicant’s income and the total amount of the applicant’s qualified educational loans.

(6) The Office has the sole discretion to prioritize applications and determine loan payments consistent with the requirements of paragraph (b)(5) of this section.

(7) If the Office decides to make a loan payment on behalf of an applicant, the Office must make the loan payment directly to the applicant’s lending agency.

(8) A loan payment under this Program may not exceed $5,000 per year. An applicant may receive only 1 loan payment on the applicant’s behalf per year. An applicant may not receive more than 3 loan payments on the applicant’s behalf in the applicant’s lifetime.

(9) If an applicant knowingly submits false information or commits fraud in connection with the application process, the Office may reevaluate the applicant’s eligibility for a loan payment and may withdraw its decision to make a loan payment on the applicant’s behalf. Any loan payment made as a result of deliberate fraud may be recovered by the Department of Justice through an action at law.

83 Del. Laws, c. 413, § 1;