DOVER- On Tuesday, the House passed two bills aimed at making workforce training and post-secondary education more affordable for Delaware residents.
Senate Bill 12, sponsored by House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst and Sen. Nicole Poore, would expand Delaware’s landmark Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED) program, while Senate Bill 95, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Bolden and Sen. Trey Paradee, would increase Delaware State’s Inspire scholarship program. Together, these measures will help fortify Delaware’s workforce and allow Delawareans of all backgrounds to earn profitable skills and certifications without the financial strain of college debt.
SB 12, known as SEED+, will expand the SEED scholarship program to include adults and others previously excluded. The expansion will allow residents of all ages to develop the skills necessary to enter high-paying, in-demand fields through Delaware Tech’s non-credit workforce development programs and its academic credential courses.
“Higher education in any form has been the pathway to success and prosperity for generations,” said Rep. Longhurst, D-Bear. “But when you are already financially strained, that education becomes all but unattainable. SEED+ will help remove the hurdles that prevent so many of our neighbors from seeking a better life for themselves and their families.”
Since 2005, the SEED program has allowed nearly 13,000 Delaware high school graduates to earn free college credits. SB 12 is specifically geared toward assisting adult workers with little or no previous higher education experience as they navigate the post-COVID economy.
These workers have disproportionately borne the brunt pandemic, with the national unemployment rate for people with a high school diploma or less jumping more than 12 percentage points from February to May 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This group also exited the labor force at three times the rate as those with a bachelor’s degree.
“This legislation will give adults already in the workforce an opportunity to learn the skills they need to earn more, achieve better job security and weather future downturns in our economy — no matter their age and no matter their background,” said Sen. Poore. “I want to thank every legislator who voted in solidarity with the Delaware worker and in support of an economic recovery that’s built to last.”
Another bill that would help Delaware students enter the workforce debt free was also passed by the House. SB 95 will expand Delaware State University’s Inspire scholarship program to fully cover the cost of in-state tuition.
To qualify for this scholarship program at Delaware’s only Historically Black College and University (HBCU), students must be a graduate of a Delaware high school, maintain at least a 2.75 GPA, complete 12 or more credit hours per semester, and complete 10 hours of community service.
“For tens of thousands of Delaware residents, Delaware State has represented hope and the opportunity for a better life,” said Rep. Bolden, the lead House sponsor of SB 95 and a DSU graduate. “The Inspire Scholarship opened even more doors to Black and Brown Delawareans, but now we are taking this important step to fulfill our state’s commitment to our young people, that if you work hard, you can get a quality college education at DSU and embark on a career without the crippling burden of debt. I’m grateful to Senator Bushweller, who sponsored the legislation to create the Inspire scholarship, and to my colleagues in the House and Senate who voted today to expand this vital program.”
This expansion of the Inspire scholarship program will also aid in closing the higher education attainment gap for Delawareans. The post-secondary attainment rate in Delaware falls nearly 10 percentage points below the national average. This gap is even more pronounced for people of color, with attainment rates for Black and Hispanic students lagging behind both the state and national average.
“Over the decades, there has been no greater engine of economic prosperity for people of color than Delaware State University and there is no better way to help our students earn a degree and start their adult life debt free than by expanding the Inspire Scholarship program,” said Sen. Trey Paradee, the prime sponsor of SB 95. “This legislation is a down payment on economic justice that will help all Delawareans access the tools they need to thrive in our state’s workforce.”
Both programs are last-dollar scholarships, using state funding only to fill the gaps between federal aid and the full cost of tuition. To qualify for the SEED or Inspire scholarships, students must first file for federal student aid.
SB 95 and SB 12 have already cleared the Senate and will now go to Governor Carney for his signature.
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