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 T. 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.