An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Services For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder.
HB309 updates Delaware’s statutory framework for the statewide autism program in Title 14. The bill rewrites Section 1332 to reflect that the Department of Education, rather than a school district or other designated entity, is responsible for administering statewide support and services for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It also formalizes the role of a statewide director, sets qualifications for that position, and preserves the program’s focus on training, technical assistance, and evidence-based educational practices for public schools serving students with ASD.
The bill continues and clarifies the program’s core functions: identifying and promoting evidence-based practices, providing training and coaching to educators and related service providers, coordinating contracts and staff, collaborating with stakeholders, and serving as a liaison with other state agencies and community groups. It also maintains the structure for training specialists, outside contracting for specialized services, phased-in funding, and advisory/oversight bodies such as Parent Advisory Committees, a Peer Review Committee, and a Statewide Monitoring Review Board. The monitoring board is tasked with annual review of ASD programming, reporting findings, and recommending corrective action where needed.
HB309 amends Delaware Code Title 14, Section 1332, to align the autism services statute with the Department of Education’s current administrative role after the program’s transfer to DOE in 2023. It changes who administers the program, clarifies staffing and oversight requirements, and updates the statutory language governing training specialists, funding, reporting, and review committees. The bill affects DOE, school districts, charter schools, families of students with ASD, and related service providers by preserving statewide support obligations while embedding them more directly in DOE operations.
The available context suggests the bill is broadly supportive and largely technical in nature. The measure appears to be a codification and alignment bill rather than a major policy overhaul, and the unanimous House third-reading vote of 38-0 indicates strong bipartisan support. The synopsis also frames the bill as an update to match existing DOE practice and responsibilities, which is consistent with a low-conflict, administrative cleanup approach.
No committee transcript or recorded floor debate is provided, and the vote history shows no opposition on final House passage. As a result, there is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are administrative: shifting explicit responsibility to DOE, preserving the evidence-based model, and maintaining oversight through advisory and monitoring bodies. Any potential concerns would likely center on implementation details such as staffing levels, funding, or the scope of DOE authority, but those issues are not reflected in the provided discussion or vote data.