(a) The Redding Consortium for Educational Equity (“Consortium”) replaces the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission. The Consortium shall recommend policies and practices to the Governor and General Assembly and to the Secretary of Education to achieve educational equity and to improve educational outcomes of all pre-K to grade-12 students in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County.
(b) The Consortium shall monitor the educational progress and outcomes of students in the City of Wilmington as well as all low-income, English learners and other students at risk across northern New Castle County. It shall develop and publish data reports on the conditions impacting the educational outcomes of these students and also track the progress of these students.
(c) The Consortium shall recommend policies and actions to the Governor and General Assembly that support the continuous improvement of public education in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County. It shall spotlight best practices from across the State and nation for increasing educational equity, improving educational outcomes, and strengthening school and community services. It shall facilitate collaboration on implementation of best practices among school districts and charter schools and may implement pilot projects It shall also facilitate the consistent engagement of impacted communities to strengthen and inform its work.
(d) The Consortium shall evaluate the need for additional or alternative educational facilities in the City of Wilmington, including secondary schools.
(e) The Consortium shall develop policy proposals to be introduced through legislation to improve teaching and learning in both district and charter schools in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County.
(f) The Consortium shall develop a proposal for redistricting in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County that must include provisions under § 1026(d)(3) of this title formulated specifically for that purpose with designated responsibilities and timelines for action at all levels.
(g) The Consortium shall research the viability of the New Castle County Tax District and Tax Pool.
(h) The Consortium is comprised of 25 voting members, as follows:
(1) Fifteen members serving by virtue of position, or a designee selected by the member, as follows:
a. A State Senator representing the City of Wilmington, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
b. A State Representative representing the City of Wilmington, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
c. A State Senator from the minority caucus, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
d. A State Representative from the minority caucus, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
e. The Superintendent of the Red Clay Consolidated School District.
f. The Superintendent of the Christina School District.
g. The Superintendent of the Colonial School District.
h. The Superintendent of the Brandywine School District.
i. The Superintendent of the New Castle County Vo-Tech School District.
j. The Mayor of the City of Wilmington.
k. The Head of the Metropolitan Urban League.
l.The President of the Delaware Hispanic Commission.
m. The Chair of the Advisory Council on English Learners.
n. A Chair of the Wilmington Community Advisory Council.
o. The President of the Delaware State Education Association.
(2) Ten members identified and appointed by the co-chairs of the Consortium, as follows:
a. A representative of the Wilmington Center for Education Equity and Public Policy.
b. A charter school lead.
c. Two teachers from schools in the City of Wilmington.
d. Two business leaders.
e. Two parents.
f. Two additional community leaders or representatives of the Wilmington and northern New Castle County community with educational interests.
(i) The Consortium is comprised of the following nonvoting members, or a designee selected by the member:
(1) The Secretary of Education.
(2) The Secretary of Finance.
(3) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(j) Official action by the Consortium requires the approval of a majority of all voting members.
(k) Meetings of the Consortium and all related committees are public meetings and must be conducted under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, Chapter 100 of Title 29.
(l) The Consortium shall meet at least quarterly, and its first meeting shall occur on or before September 1, 2019.
(m) The Consortium may invite education and community stakeholders to participate in meetings as nonvoting members as determined by the co-chairs.
(n) The co-chairs of the Consortium are as follows:
(1) The member appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate under paragraph (h)(1)a. of this section.
(2) A member appointed by the Governor from the members of the Consortium under paragraphs (h)(1)e. through (h)(1)o. or paragraphs (h)(2)a. through (h)(2)e. of this section.
(o) The Consortium may form standing committees to develop recommendations for consideration by the full Consortium. The co-chairs of the Consortium may appoint members of committees and working groups who are not members of the Consortium but whose participation will enhance the work undertaken.
(p) The Consortium shall work with and across all relevant governmental agencies, educational entities, and private and nonprofit institutions serving residents of the City of Wilmington. The Consortium shall build upon the work and recommendations of the Wilmington Education Advisory Committee and the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission.
(q) As requested by the Governor and the General Assembly, the Consortium shall carry out other responsibilities consistent with its overall mission.
(r) The Consortium shall report to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the City of Wilmington, the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Legislative Services, and the Delaware Public Archives at least once each fiscal year. It shall annually present a report to a joint session of the education committees of the Senate and the House. Each report must include all of the following:
(1) A summary of the work and actions completed by the Consortium to accomplish its purposes as required under this section.
(2) Recommendations of the Consortium about whether and how to further implement, promote, and achieve improvement in the education of pre-K to grade-12 students in the City of Wilmington and northern New Castle County.
(s) The University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration and Delaware State University’s School of Graduate Studies shall staff the Consortium. A policy director from the Institute for Public Administration, approved by the co-chairs of Consortium, shall manage the staff. An annual line item allocation of funding must be provided to the Consortium to support the operational services, research, and analysis carried out by the Institute for Public Administration and Delaware State University and in the development of the transition, resource, and development plan.
(t) The Consortium shall remain in operation until the Governor and General Assembly conclude that its mission has been fulfilled.