There are 39 school districts in Delaware which support 224 schools. In the 2020-2021 school year, there were 138,414 students enrolled in K-12 in Delaware public schools. Approximately 38% of students in Delaware public schools are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches. Delaware has one policy that addresses school climate directly which states that surveys are encouraged. The state has policies that support bullying prevention, including a policy directly addressing bullying prevention in athletics. Policies include the implementation of emergency response systems, suicide awareness and prevention, service learning, non-discrimination, and teacher training in how to support students. Delaware has two policies addressing digital citizenship; The Delaware Educational Technology Standards for Teachers and The Digital Citizenship Education Act.
Safety
| DE-School Climate Survey.
School Climate surveys in Delaware are encouraged. It is administered to students, staff/teachers, and parents. Survey instruments and related resources, including interpretation guidelines and post-survey action planning tools, are publicly available on the Delaware Positive Behavior Support website. http://www.delawarepbs.org/de-school-climate-survey/ https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/survey/delaware-school-climate-survey |
Who does this protect? Students, Administrators, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Delaware Code 14-4161 Definitions.
Defines the term bullying and actions that are with bullying.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-41/subchapter-ii/section-4161/
Delaware Administrative Code 14- 624-2.0-Definition of Cyberbullying.
Provides a definition for the term cyberbullying and actions that are associated with cyberbullying.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/600/624/624-2-0/
Delaware asks schools to develop and implement procedures to prevent bullying and harassment behavior and the consequences of such behavior. Policies also explain that procedures are needed for reporting an incidence of bullying and investigating it as well as how this policy will be communicated.
- Delaware Code 14-4164 School bullying awareness and prevention; criminal youth gang detection.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-41/subchapter-ii/section-4164/
- Delaware Code 14-4112A Office of School Criminal Offense and Bullying Ombudsperson.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-41/subchapter-i/section-4112a/
- Delaware Administrative Code 14-624-1.0 Cyberbullying forbidden.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/600/624/624-1-0/
Delaware Administrative Code 14-1007-1.0 Definitions and Sportsmanship.
Develop and implement policies for their interscholastic athletic programs to discourage acts of bullying, hazing, and taunting.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/1000/1007/1007-1-0/
Delaware Code 14-4164 School bullying awareness and prevention; criminal youth gang detection.
Delaware anti-bullying laws cover conduct that occurs on- and off-school property. Also states that the place of origin of speech otherwise constituting cyberbullying is not material to whether it is considered cyberbullying, nor is the use of school district or charter school materials.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-41/subchapter-ii/section-4164/
Who does this protect? Students, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Delaware schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies and explain drills that need to take place during the school year.
- Delaware Code 29-8237 Omnibus School Safety Act.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-29/chapter-82/section-8237/
- Delaware Code 14-4109 School property; health and safety requirements.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-41/subchapter-i/section-4109/
Delaware Administrative Code 14-601-3.0 Schools and Law Enforcement Agencies.
All local school districts, charter schools, and Alternative Programs shall establish a written policy on effectively communicating and working with law enforcement agencies. Each school district, charter school, and Alternative Program shall develop a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with each law enforcement agency that provides services to it.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/600/601/601-3-0/
Delaware Administrative Code 14-603 Compliance with the Gun-Free Schools Act.
Each school district and charter school shall have a written policy implementing the Gun-Free Schools Act.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/600/603/603-1-0/
Delaware Code 27-2705 Powers and duties.
Lists the duties and powers of a constable who has less policing authority than peace officers.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-10/chapter-27/section-2705/
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Teaching/Learning
Delaware provides students with disabilities the accommodations and resources they need to have an appropriate education.
- Delaware Code 14- 3122 Identification and reporting of a child with a disability.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-31/subchapter-iii/section-3122/
- Delaware Code 14- 3121 Special classes and facilities.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-31/subchapter-iii/section-3121/
Delaware Administrative Code 14- 507-3.0 – Student Success Plans.
All students in grades 8 through 12 will have opportunities to learn about career and industry trends and earning potentials, such as career speakers, work-based learning opportunities, career, and technical student organization activities, and career compass activities.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/500/507/507-3-0/
Who does this protect? Students, Students with disabilities
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Interpersonal Relationships
Delaware Administrative Code 14-220-2.0 Diversity.
Each school district will describe in district success plans and school success plans how disparities and gaps in student achievement associated with the student’s gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, limited English proficiency, or disability will be identified and eliminated.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/200/220/220-2-0/
Delaware Administrative Code 14- 225-1.0 – Prohibition of Discrimination.
No person in the State of Delaware shall based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, disability, age, or Vietnam Era veteran’s status be unlawfully excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving approval or financial assistance from or through the Delaware Department of Education.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/200/225/225-1-0/
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Institutional Environments
Delaware Administrative Code 14-103-7.0 Accountability for Schools that are Under Improvement.
Districts may partner with parents and parent organizations, faith- and community-based organizations, health clinics, other State or local agencies, and others to create safe school environments that meet students’ social, emotional, and health needs.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/100/103/103-7-0/
Delaware Code 14-157 Parental involvement in education expectations of parents expectations of schools and school personnel.
The Department of Education shall encourage local school districts and schools to adopt the Parents’ Declaration of Responsibilities as local policy and to encourage parents at the beginning of each school year to execute an agreement to commit themselves to carry out, to the best of their abilities, the responsibilities outlined in the Declaration.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-1/subchapter-iii/section-157/
Delaware Code 14-1605A Prevention component.
The Family Services Cabinet Council, with the Department of Education and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families acting as lead agencies shall administer a program to offer prevention-related student support services (prevention services) to students to prevent them from becoming discipline problems and from failing academically in our schools. For example, outreach programs promote parental, family, and community involvement in students’ academic studies.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-16/section-1605a/
Who does this protect? Parents, Students
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Delaware schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies and explain drills that need to take place during the school year.
- Delaware Code 29-8237 Omnibus School Safety Act.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-29/chapter-82/section-8237/
- Delaware Code 14-4109 School property; health and safety requirements.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-14/chapter-41/subchapter-i/section-4109/
Delaware Administrative Code 14-601-3.0 Schools and Law Enforcement Agencies.
All local school districts, charter schools, and Alternative Programs shall establish a written policy on effectively communicating and working with law enforcement agencies. Each school district, charter school, and Alternative Program shall develop a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with each law enforcement agency that provides services to it.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/600/601/601-3-0/
Delaware Administrative Code 14-603 Compliance with the Gun-Free Schools Act.
Each school district and charter school shall have a written policy implementing the Gun-Free Schools Act.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/delaware/title-14/600/603/603-1-0/
Delaware Code 27-2705 Powers and duties.
Lists the duties and powers of a constable who has less policing authority than peace officers.
https://law.justia.com/codes/delaware/2021/title-10/chapter-27/section-2705/
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Social Media
There is currently no policy surrounding Leadership in Delaware. For more information on school climate please visit us at Services – National School
There is currently no policy surrounding Professional Relationships in Delaware. For more information on school climate please visit us at Services – National School