PRIA Logo™
DelawareHB 309153rd General Assembly (2024–2026)House

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

Sponsored By: Kimberly Williams (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Delaware makes statewide autism support permanent

Delaware's education department now directly runs statewide support for students with an educational autism classification, from birth through age 22. Training and technical help continue without the former three-year pilot limit ending June 30, 2021. The department must help districts, charter schools, school and community teams, and families with training, coaching, and research-backed practices. It also coordinates with other agencies and stakeholders and oversees staff and contractors providing autism training and support. The department must employ a statewide director with a doctorate in psychology, special education, applied behavior analysis, or a related field, or a master's degree with extensive autism experience. The director needs at least 10 years of autism experience, including five years supervising in education, plus five years of autism consultation and school-based program development. Required skills include graduate training in research-backed teaching and behavior support, leading skill development, putting these practices into use, and proven staff and parent training experience. The department can add desirable qualifications, and director pay follows state salary rules with State Board of Education approval.

Qualified specialists support autism students and families

The law provides for five autism training specialist positions, replacing the old minimum of one per 100 students and its phased rollout. The education department can buy specialized services instead of hiring staff. Specialists must have a master's degree and at least three years working with students with an educational autism classification. Their experience no longer must specifically be in consultation. The specialist team includes qualified speech-language pathologists, behavior analysts, and other autism experts. Their duties include classroom advice, support plans, performance feedback, parent training, and training regular education staff on autism and inclusion. The law also removes the former contractor funding calculation and State Board objection review.

Fewer required parent roles in autism oversight

The education department no longer must establish parent advisory committees for autism services. The monitoring board must have at least seven members, including two nonvoting public representatives chosen annually by the department. These representatives cannot have a child with an educational autism classification enrolled in a Delaware public-school program during their term. The board also loses its specific duty to resolve disputes within or between public schools and the statewide director. These changes do not themselves repeal other parent participation rights or student and family procedural safeguards.

Stronger school reviews focus on autism

The Peer Review Committee must review education procedures and programs for students with an educational autism classification. Its review now focuses on autism rather than also covering related disabilities. The statewide monitoring board must annually review teaching methods, curricula, proposed practices, and department data against research-backed practices. Its recommendations must include ways to measure results and suggested corrective actions. The department and board must report findings to legislative education committees at least annually and post the report online. Schools found out of compliance with recommendations receive technical help and a gradual improvement plan agreed upon by the school and director.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Kimberly Williams

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

  • Alonna Berry

    Democratic • House

  • Kerri Evelyn Harris

    Democratic • House

  • Sean M. Lynn

    Democratic • House

  • Laura V. Sturgeon

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 59 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/30/2026

Passed (2/3 required)

Yes: 21 • No: 0

House vote • 4/21/2026

Passed (SM required)

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by Governor

    7/23/2026Governor

  2. Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

    6/30/2026Senate

  3. Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits

    5/13/2026Senate

  4. Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits

    5/13/2026Senate

  5. Assigned to Education Committee in Senate

    4/21/2026Senate

  6. Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT

    4/21/2026House

  7. Amendment HA 1 to HB 309 - Passed In House by Voice Vote

    4/21/2026House

  8. Amendment HA 1 to HB 309 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

    4/21/2026House

  9. Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 9 On Its Merits

    3/11/2026House

  10. Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in House

    3/5/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation