Bill Text: DE HB244 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Funding For Athletic Trainers.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-22 - Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 6 On Its Merits [HB244 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2023-HB244-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Rep. Michael Smith & Rep. Longhurst & Rep. Heffernan & Sen. Poore |
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Reps. Baumbach, Chukwuocha, Dukes, Gray, Hilovsky, Parker Selby, Ramone, Shupe |
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 2
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 244
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FUNDING FOR ATHLETIC TRAINERS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend Chapter 17, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 1727. Unit for athletic trainer and funding.
(a) A “unit for athletic trainer” is defined as 1 unit for each school that has athletic programs that serve students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. A school or district with less than 3 sports teams must submit an application to the Department of Education should it wish to receive partial funding for an athletic trainer position. The State Board of Education may review any objection to the Department’s decision.
(b) (1) A unit for athletic trainer shall be used to employ personnel to be paid for 10 months per year from state funds pursuant to this section at the rate of 1 per school having athletic programs serving students in grades 9 through 12. This is a unit allocation for Local Education Agencies (LEA) to provide 1 athletic trainer per school having athletic programs serving grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. A school or district with less than 3 sports teams must submit an application to the Department of Education should it wish to receive partial funding for an athletic trainer position. The State Board of Education may review any objection to the Department’s decision.
(2) The funds appropriated to each school district, vocational technical school district, or charter school for salaries shall be determined in accordance with the salary schedule set forth in § 1305 of this title.
(c) (1) Instead of a salaried employee, a school district, vocational technical school district, or charter school may choose to provide all or part of the services of an athletic trainer through a contract with a public or private agency. The contract must provide for 37.5 hours of services per school per week.
(2) A school or district must submit an application to the Department of Education should it wish to exercise the contractual option. The State Board of Education may review any objection to the Department’s decision.
(d) Athletic trainer unit funding means:
(1) In fiscal year 2025, 1 unit for 9 schools, vocational technical schools, or charter schools having athletic programs serving grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, for employment of a full-time athletic trainer.
(2) In fiscal year 2026, 1 unit for 18 schools, vocational technical schools, or charter schools having athletic programs serving grades 9, 10,11, and 12, for employment of a full-time athletic trainer. A school or district with less than 3 sports teams must submit an application to the Department of Education should it wish to receive partial funding for an athletic trainer position. The State Board of Education may review any objection to the Department’s decision.
(3) In fiscal year 2027, 1 unit for all schools, vocational technical schools, or charter schools having athletic programs serving grades 9, 10,11, and 12, for employment of a full-time athletic trainer. A school or district with less than 3 sports teams must submit an application to the Department of Education should it wish to receive partial funding for an athletic trainer position. The State Board of Education may review any objection to the Department’s decision.
(4) In fiscal years 2025 and 2026, the schools to receive funding shall be selected by the Department of Education based on the schools having the highest athletic participation and shall be proportionally distributed to all 3 counties.
SYNOPSIS
This Act directs phased in unit funding for every school or district to have an athletic trainer. A school or district with less than 3 sports teams must submit an application to the Department of Education should it wish to receive partial funding for an athletic trainer position. The State Board of Education may review any objection to the Department’s decision.
