Bill Text: DE HB175 | 2015-2016 | 148th General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Exceptional Children.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-06-17 - Reported Out of Committee (EDUCATION) in House with 2 Favorable, 7 On Its Merits [HB175 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2015-HB175-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Rep. M. Smith & Rep. Ramone & Sen. Henry & Sen. Lavelle & Sen. Townsend |
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Reps. Baumbach, Heffernan, Q. Johnson, Lynn, Paradee, B. Short |
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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HOUSE BILL NO. 175 |
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN. |
Section 1. Amend Subchapter III, Chapter 31, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 3125. Unified Sports Pilot Program.
(a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "Athletic program" means an interscholastic athletic activity that is developed and offered to students by regular and vocational technical school districts and by charter schools.
(2) "Public high school" means a school operated by a regular or vocational technical school district, or by a charter school, and serving students in grade 9 through grade 12.
(3) "Students with disabilities" means as defined in "child with a disability" in §3101 of this title.
(4) "Unified sports" means athletic programs that combine students with disabilities and students without disabilities.
(b) For the 2015-2016 school year, there is established a unified sports pilot program in all public high schools serving students with disabilities and with a track and field program in operation during the 2013-2014 school year.
(c) The unified sports pilot program shall be implemented by the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association and Special Olympics Delaware and shall be offered only in track and field during the unified sports pilot program.
(d) Special Olympics Delaware shall provide all necessary uniforms and equipment and all necessary training for coaches and students without intellectual disabilities. Public high schools serving students with disabilities shall provide coaches, other necessary staff, and transportation.
(e) A public high school required to participate in the unified sports pilot program under subsection (b) of this section must continue to comply with all federal and state laws, regulations, or rules for the inclusion of students with disabilities in any athletic program offered by the public high school.
(f) The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association and Special Olympics Delaware shall conduct an evaluation of the unified sports pilot program and shall report its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2016, to the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the members of the General Assembly, and regular and vocational technical school districts and charter schools with a participating public high school. The evaluation shall include the use of surveys, interviews, and site visits and may be conducted in collaboration with an outside entity.
(1) In addition to any other information determined to be appropriate by the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association and Special Olympics Delaware, the report shall include:
a. Data on public high school and student participation rates in the unified sports pilot program.
b. Data on attendance rates at unified sports pilot program events.
c. Data on all costs associated with the unified sports pilot program broken down by type and further broken down by those costs incurred by Special Olympics Delaware and the public high school.
(2) In addition to any other recommendations determined to be appropriate by the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association and Special Olympics, the report shall include:
a. Whether the unified sports pilot program should be made permanent.
b. Whether unified sports should be offered at the middle school or elementary school level.
b. Whether other sports should be offered as a unified sport and, if so, which sports would be appropriate.
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon the publication in the Register of Regulations of a notice that an appropriation was made to fund the Unified Sports Pilot Program created by this Act. The Controller General shall provide notice to the Registrar of Regulations that the appropriation was made.
SYNOPSIS
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A unified sport is an athletic program that combines students with disabilities and students without disabilities to train and compete on the same team. The purpose of a unified sport is to build social inclusion through the platform of sports, and to provide common ground where students with and without disabilities can enjoy the bond that comes from training, goal-setting, and teamwork. Additionally, a unified sport breaks down stereotypes by demonstrating abilities through athletic competition and meaningful involvement, and creates opportunities for students with and without disabilities to share greater understanding and friendship on and off the playing field. The General Assembly recognizes that unified sports offer benefits to all students and serve as a potential tool for schools that are required to meet Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §794, regarding providing extracurricular activities, and 14 Del. Admin. C. §923-7.1 and 7.2. This Act creates a unified sports pilot program in track and field in all high schools operated by a regular or vocational technical school district or by a charter school during the 2015-2016 school year. This Act requires an evaluation of the pilot program to determine the feasibility of making unified sports a permanent part of the regular, vocational technical, and charter school experience. This Act is contingent on funding. |
