Del. Creates Fund To Help Schools Keep Teachers, Staff Working

Delaware school districts and charter schools may qualify to obtain part of a state fund to prevent possible teacher and staff layoffs due to declining enrollment.

Governor John Carney and Education Secretary Dr. Susan Bunting announced Thursday that the state would provide $9-million in one-time funding for districts and charters that certify they will not lay off personnel. Also, funds should go toward student instruction, focused on students who have been impacted most negatively by not being able to take part in in-person learning.

“Our educators, school personnel, and school leaders have taken on the challenges of this pandemic and ensured children remain fed, educated, and supported,” Carney said. “We are pleased to make this funding available to districts and charter schools to ensure no staff members are laid off because of enrollment declines during the pandemic. We look forward to seeing students back in classrooms in a hybrid format in January, and I thank our schools for all the work they are doing to bring children back safely.”

Based on enrollment, school districts and charters could receive as much as an additional $1.1-million to prevent layoffs.

“This funding will give our educators and students the stability they need as they finish this unprecedented school year,” Bunting said. “Whether our children have chosen hybrid or remote learning for the spring semester, they will highly profit from the instructional consistency and learning support that the current staff offers.”

“We thank the Governor and Secretary of Education for this funding, which will avoid the negative impact of the decline in enrollment due to this pandemic,” Delaware State Education Association President Stephanie Ingram said. “At a time when educators have so much to worry about, this solution means they won’t have to worry about layoffs this year. Instead, educators can continue to focus on safety, health, instruction and student learning.”