Delaware 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

Delaware Senate Bill SB294 Draft / Bill

                    SPONSOR:      Sen. Gay & Rep. Neal & Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. S. Moore & Rep. Heffernan       Sens. Hansen, Poore; Rep. Parker Selby           DELAWARE STATE SENATE   152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       SENATE BILL NO. 294       AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SALARY SCHEDULES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PERSONNEL.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Sen. Gay & Rep. Neal & Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. S. Moore & Rep. Heffernan       Sens. Hansen, Poore; Rep. Parker Selby     

SPONSOR: Sen. Gay & Rep. Neal & Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. S. Moore & Rep. Heffernan
Sens. Hansen, Poore; Rep. Parker Selby

 SPONSOR:  

 Sen. Gay & Rep. Neal & Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. S. Moore & Rep. Heffernan 

 Sens. Hansen, Poore; Rep. Parker Selby 

   

 DELAWARE STATE SENATE 

 152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 SENATE BILL NO. 294 

   

 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SALARY SCHEDULES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PERSONNEL. 

   

  BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:   Section 1. Amend 1336, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:    1336. Salary schedule for Department of Education early childhood personnel resulting from early childhood governance reorganization [For application of this section, see 84 Del. Laws, c. 81, 8(m)(6)].   (a) An early childhood employee of the Department of Education who works and is paid for 12 months per year shall be paid in accordance with the following schedule from the first day of the first full pay cycle of the fiscal year through the last day of the pay cycle that contains the last day of the fiscal year:   Title     Childcare Licensing Specialist     Childcare Licensing Supervisor     Administrator   Step 1     32,640                 36,911                 39,273   Step 2     33,283                 37,639                 40,047   Step 3     33,925                 38,363                 40,822   Step 4     34,567                 39,094                 41,598   Step 5     35,210                 39,822                 42,372   Step 6     35,852                 40,550                 43,147   Step 7     36,574                 41,369                 44,019   Step 8     37,297                 42,187                 44,892   Step 9     38,019                 43,006                 45,762   Step 10     38,742                 43,824                 46,634   Step 11     39,464                 44,643                 47,506   Step 12     40,268                 45,553                 48,475   Step 13     41,070                 46,461                 49,443   Step 14     41,874                 47,372                 50,412   Step 15     42,676                 48,281                 51,381   Step 16     43,479                 49,191                 52,350   (b) The Department of Education shall be authorized to revise the salary to be paid to any of its personnel, which shall enable the Department to pay salary supplements up to the equivalent, but in no case to exceed the average of the 3 highest salaries for like positions paid by school districts. The Department of Education shall establish rules and regulations for the assignment of early education personnel employed pursuant to 1336 of this title who are not otherwise classified.   (c) Any employee paid from this section shall receive as a salary the amount for which the employee qualifies under subsection (a) of this section, plus an annual amount for additional education that is clearly related to the individuals responsibilities as defined by the Department of Education as follows:   Certificate     Education Supplement   Bachelors     $0   Bachelors +15     $1,520   Bachelors +30     $1,720   Masters         $1,920   Masters +15     $2,120   Masters +30     $2,320   Masters +45     $2,520   Doctorate     $2,720   Section 2. This Act takes effect on July 1 following its enactment into law.      

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: 

 Section 1. Amend 1336, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

  1336. Salary schedule for Department of Education early childhood personnel resulting from early childhood governance reorganization [For application of this section, see 84 Del. Laws, c. 81, 8(m)(6)]. 

 (a) An early childhood employee of the Department of Education who works and is paid for 12 months per year shall be paid in accordance with the following schedule from the first day of the first full pay cycle of the fiscal year through the last day of the pay cycle that contains the last day of the fiscal year: 

 Title     Childcare Licensing Specialist     Childcare Licensing Supervisor     Administrator 

 Step 1     32,640                 36,911                 39,273 

 Step 2     33,283                 37,639                 40,047 

 Step 3     33,925                 38,363                 40,822 

 Step 4     34,567                 39,094                 41,598 

 Step 5     35,210                 39,822                 42,372 

 Step 6     35,852                 40,550                 43,147 

 Step 7     36,574                 41,369                 44,019 

 Step 8     37,297                 42,187                 44,892 

 Step 9     38,019                 43,006                 45,762 

 Step 10     38,742                 43,824                 46,634 

 Step 11     39,464                 44,643                 47,506 

 Step 12     40,268                 45,553                 48,475 

 Step 13     41,070                 46,461                 49,443 

 Step 14     41,874                 47,372                 50,412 

 Step 15     42,676                 48,281                 51,381 

 Step 16     43,479                 49,191                 52,350 

 (b) The Department of Education shall be authorized to revise the salary to be paid to any of its personnel, which shall enable the Department to pay salary supplements up to the equivalent, but in no case to exceed the average of the 3 highest salaries for like positions paid by school districts. The Department of Education shall establish rules and regulations for the assignment of early education personnel employed pursuant to 1336 of this title who are not otherwise classified. 

 (c) Any employee paid from this section shall receive as a salary the amount for which the employee qualifies under subsection (a) of this section, plus an annual amount for additional education that is clearly related to the individuals responsibilities as defined by the Department of Education as follows: 

 Certificate     Education Supplement 

 Bachelors     $0 

 Bachelors +15     $1,520 

 Bachelors +30     $1,720 

 Masters         $1,920 

 Masters +15     $2,120 

 Masters +30     $2,320 

 Masters +45     $2,520 

 Doctorate     $2,720 

 Section 2. This Act takes effect on July 1 following its enactment into law. 

   

  SYNOPSIS   This Act removes assigned salary schedules established for child care licensing specialists and child care licensing supervisors, who are employed through the Department of Education. By removing this language, the Department of Education will be able to provide equitable compensation to early childhood personnel within the Office of Child Care Licensing. Attracting and retaining employees is critical to ensure the States child care licensing system is sufficiently staffed. Currently, the statute prevents child care licensing specialists and child care licensing supervisors from equitable pay within the Department of Education, leading to high rates of turnover and inter-Department transfer. A lack of staffing limits the ability of the State to investigate complaints being made against child care centers.    Author: Senator Gay  

 SYNOPSIS 

 This Act removes assigned salary schedules established for child care licensing specialists and child care licensing supervisors, who are employed through the Department of Education. By removing this language, the Department of Education will be able to provide equitable compensation to early childhood personnel within the Office of Child Care Licensing. Attracting and retaining employees is critical to ensure the States child care licensing system is sufficiently staffed. Currently, the statute prevents child care licensing specialists and child care licensing supervisors from equitable pay within the Department of Education, leading to high rates of turnover and inter-Department transfer. A lack of staffing limits the ability of the State to investigate complaints being made against child care centers.  

 Author: Senator Gay