EXECUTIVE ORDER
NUMBER TWENTY
TO: HEADS OF ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
RE: CREATING THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON ENGLISH LEARNERS TO PROMOTE IMPROVED SERVICES TO ENGLISH LEARNER STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES

WHEREAS, since 1998, the number of English learner students in Delaware has increased by 433.3%; and

WHEREAS, Delaware now has over 11,000 English learner students in schools across the state; and

WHEREAS, a group of advocates and community stakeholders worked with the Delaware Department of Education to create Delaware’s English Learner Strategic Plan 2022; and

WHEREAS, one of the key recommendations of this community-driven plan was the creation of an advisory council to advise the Governor and the Secretary of Education, and to develop recommendations to best meet the needs of Delaware’s English learner students; and

WHEREAS, in order to meet the needs of Delaware’s English learner students and ensure faithful implementation of the plan, the state must engage families, community members, and educators.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN C. CARNEY, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby DECLARE and ORDER the following:

1. The Advisory Council on English Learners is hereby established. The Council shall advise the Secretary of the Department of Education, the Governor, and relevant state agencies on the needs of Delaware’s English learner population, and shall ensure faithful execution of the English Learner Strategic Plan 2022 (the “Plan”).

2. The Council shall be responsible for recommending practices and policies to better meet the needs of English learner students and their families. Such policies shall be consistent with the goals of the Plan: to engage every English learner in high-quality instruction and assessment designed to meet individual needs, to foster highly effective educators of English learners, to mobilize the community and engage the public to support English learners, and to continue to refine English learner education through intentional analysis of data.

3. The Council shall consist of 22 members, as follows:

a. Two members appointed by the Governor;
b. One member of the Delaware Department of Education, appointed by the Secretary;
c. One Representative appointed by the Pro Tempore of the Delaware State Senate;
d. One Representative appointed by the Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives;
e. Three individuals appointed by the Executive Director of the Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA), who must include a Superintendent, a Principal, and an Assistant Principal from different Delaware school districts or Charter schools;
f. One elected member of a Delaware school board, appointed by the Executive Director of the Delaware School Boards Association (DSBA);
g. One representative of the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), appointed by the President of the DSEA;
h. One representative of the Delaware Early Childhood Council (DECC), appointed by the Chair of the DECC;
i. One student who is currently or was previously an English learner, appointed by the Secretary of Education;
j. Four representatives from institutes of higher education, which shall include:

(i) One representative of the University of Delaware, appointed by the President;
(ii) One representative of Delaware State University, appointed by the President;
(iii) One representative of Wilmington University, appointed by the President; and
(iv) One representative of Delaware Technical & Community College, appointed by the President; and

k. The following members, who shall be appointed by the co-chairs:

(i) Two Delaware school district employees, from different counties;
(ii) One representative of the business community;
(iii) One advocate for English learner families in each of New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties.

4. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

5. The Governor shall appoint two co-chairs from among the members.

6. The Council may establish subcommittees to focus on specific areas of the Plan.

7. The Council shall prepare an annual report describing the progress made toward meeting the goals set forth in the Plan. The Council shall submit the annual report to the Governor, the Secretary of Education, and the chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees by December 1 of each year.

8. The Council shall dissolve on December 31, 2022 unless extended by further Executive Order.

This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

APPROVED this 16 day of May, 2018.

John C. Carney
Governor

ATTEST:

Secretary of State

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