Gov. John Carney on Tuesday signed a $4.4 billion Fiscal Year 2020 budget plan.
“This is a responsible budget that focuses on Delaware’s future, with important investments in education, in our state employees, and in health care,” said Carney.
The Fiscal Year 2020 budget includes:
- General Fund Operating budget totals $4.4 billion, limiting growth to 4.2%
- Sets aside over $100 million in reserves (after projected cash to bond bill and grant in aid
- Appropriates $62 million toward one-time items in a separate supplemental appropriation bill
Funds “door openers” such as:- Advertisement -- $19.5 million for K-12 enrollment growth
- $14.6 million for salary steps (Education, DSP, DTCC, agency)
- $9.4 million for pupil transportation
- $9.8 million for Medicaid growth
- $2.2 million for debt service
- $1.3 million for elections machine maintenance
- $1.1 million for inmate medical/pharmacy inflation
Education funding:
- Investing $100 million in High-Needs Schools
- Opportunity Funding: $75 million over three years for:
- $20 million/year in weighted funding for low-income students and English learners (EL) across all grade levels
- $5.0 million/year to provide mental health and reading supports for grades K-5
- $500,000 to evaluate the results of this program and identify best practicesProviding Resources for Early Grades – Student Success Block Grant: $26 million over a three year period for the following:
- $4.5 million/year in support for K-3 Basic Special Education
- $4.0 million/year to provide an estimated 45 reading teachers targeted to elementary schools with high percentages of students in poverty
- $350,000/year to establish Wellness Centers in elementary schools
- $1 million for yearlong residencies to prepare incoming teachers and improve retention in high-needs schools
- $850,000 for the DE Literacy Plan providing professional development and micro-credential bonus
- $560,000 to provide 4 additional middle school math coaches bringing the total funding for this program to $1.6 million
Workforce investment:
- $1,000 annual raise for state workers
- Successfully completed negotiations with several collective bargaining units
- 2% raise for educators and bus drivers statewide, on top of annual step increases
- $150,000 for the First State Quality Improvement Fund
- $85,000 for recruitment and retention efforts
Public safety:
- $1.5 million in additional funding for the second year implementation of the Department of Correction Independent Review recommendations
- $508,600 and 18.0 FTEs for pending legislation expanding the availability of expungement for selected categories of adult arrests and convictions (SS1 to SB 37)
Children’s services:
- $3.3 million to add 34 casework staff and contractual support in the Division of Family Services
- $5.0 million in a contingency to address department-wide caseload growth
Health care:
- $4.2 million for contractual increases for partners providing services to those with disabilities
- $3.6 million for attendant care services waiting list
- $3.2 million for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) due to decreased federal funding
- $2.9 million for a Behavioral Health Consortium Contingency
- $1.3 million for Medicaid Dental services
