Delaware Code Title 14 Sec. 805 – School transition plans and grants
(a) A school community which chooses to begin transition to shared decision-making, as defined herein, may apply to the Department of Education via the local board of education for a school transition grant. The State shall provide funding for such grants as authorized in § 807(d) and (e) of this title.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 14 Sec. 805
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- School community: shall mean a community comprised of the stakeholders responsible for providing and structuring a child's education; specifically, the board of education at the district level, certified and noncertified school employees, parents, community members and, as appropriate, students. See Delaware Code Title 14 Sec. 801
- Shared decision-making: shall mean an inclusive, representative decision-making process in which members of the school community at the school and district levels participate as equals. See Delaware Code Title 14 Sec. 801
- State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
- State Board: consists of 9 members who are citizens of this State andappointed as follows:
(1) The Governor shall appoint, with Senate confirmation, 7 voting members. See Delaware Code Title 14 Sec. 104
- Structured conversations and activities: shall mean ongoing opportunities for representatives of the entire school community, as defined herein, to collectively and collaboratively explore and become knowledgeable about the processes, systems and governance structures commonly associated with shared decision-making; to identify the skills, knowledge and attitudes which promote successful shared decision-making; to review the research related to the successes and shortcomings of shared decision-making in educational settings; and to determine the readiness and commitment of the various groups within the school community to proceed with shared decision-making as a means to achieve the goal of improved teaching and student learning and improved school safety and discipline. See Delaware Code Title 14 Sec. 801
(b) The Department of Education with the approval of the State Board of Education shall adopt guidelines for the approval of school transition grants, based upon the recommendations of an advisory committee comprised of representatives of the school community, and promulgate such guidelines by January 1, 1997. The guidelines shall require, but not be limited to, specifying that the school demonstrates that the school has:
(1) Conducted structured conversations and activities and has agreed to make the transition to shared decision-making as evidenced by the Report and Recommendation signed by representatives of the School Advisory Committee as specified in § 804(c)-(e) of this title;
(2) Established a School Transition Team;
(3) Established a working procedure for the School Transition Team to reach decisions and resolve conflicts;
(4) Validated significant support from members of the school community;
(5) Committed to develop a school improvement plan including comprehensive school improvement goals tied to state and local academic performance standards and strategies to achieve these goals and including staff development for building the necessary capacities and skills to successfully implement shared decision-making and improve parental involvement;
(6) Established plans for communicating the results of the school improvement plan to the broader school community for information and critical review; and
(7) Described how the various stakeholder groups will formally express their opinion regarding the school transition plan prior to its adoption by the local board of education.
(c) The Department of Education and the relevant local district administration shall provide school transition teams with assistance, guidance and strategies to initiate, develop and formally adopt their transition plans.
(d) The local board of education, following public review and comments, shall adopt the school transition plan unless evidence demonstrates that the school’s transition plan is inconsistent with specific provisions of the adopted district transition plan and such disapproval shall extend only to such inconsistent provisions of the school transition plan.
70 Del. Laws, c. 457, § ?1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 180, §§ ?38, 42;