An Act To Amend Title 14 of the DE Code Relating to the State Board of Education and Public Comment

Today, House Bill 232 was filed. This Act will require the State Board of Education to accept public comment on all agenda items at its meetings, including charter school applications and changes to regulations.  The Board is not required to accept public comment concerning student disciplinary appeals.  The Board retains discretion to limit the manner, length, and timing of public comment at its meetings.

The State Board’s mission statement speaks about being in collaboration with community and stakeholders, the DE State Board of Education serves as the primary voice for Delaware citizens on education policy, but does not allow for public comment on the day that certain action items are going to be voted on.

This needs to change!

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WEIC Public Hearing

A second public hearing will be held in the Red Clay School District on Tuesday, December 8th 6:30 pm at Warner Elementary School, 801 West 18th Street. If you cannot make the meeting, you can submit a public comment here or email to solutionsfordelawareschools@gmail.com.

Below is the Executive Summary of the report. Click here to read the entire report.

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WEIC Public Hearing

A public hearing will be held in the Red Clay School District on Monday, December 7th 6:30 pm at Brandywine Springs, Duncan Road. If you cannot make the meeting, you can submit a public comment here or email to solutionsfordelawareschools@gmail.com.

Below is the Executive Summary of the report. Click here to read the entire report.

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No public comment is allowed at the State Employees Health Plan Task Force

I attend the State Employees Health Plan Task Force meeting yesterday from 10:00 to 12:00 at Buena Vista, the place was packed. This is the 2nd meeting of the task force. Ann Visalli was getting ready to adjourn the meeting. I asked if there would be public comment period and  Ms. Visalli answered me with a “no”.  Ann Visalli stated that public comment could be made by email (Suggestions Mailbox which is not working) or through the Public Testimony Meetings and those meetings have ended.

As a State Representative, I was not allowed to make a public comment at the end of the meeting.

I attended one of the Public Testimony Meetings and all they give you is a brief overview of the purpose and objective of the State Employees Health Plan Task Force. The real discussion is taking place during the task force meetings, the public should be allowed to make a public comment.

They had four Public Testimony Meetings that have already taken place and a total of 16 members of the public commented at these Public Testimony Meetings. The state has about 35,000 employees. There could be significant changes and these meetings are taking place during the day when most state employees are working.