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SPONSOR: Sen. Paradee & Rep. Bush
Sens. Brown, Buckson, Cruce, Hansen, Hoffner,
Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Pinkney, Poore,
Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson;
Reps. Bolden, Chukwuocha, K. Johnson, Lambert,
S. Moore, Romer, Ross Levin, Kamela Smith,
K. Williams
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE BILL NO. 90
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE STATE INSPIRE
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
1 Section 1. Amend § 3404A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and
2 insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
3 § 3410A. Definitions.
4 The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this subchapter, shall have the meaning ascribed to them
5 except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: For purposes of this subchapter:
6 (1) “Academic year” shall mean means the 2 consecutive academic semesters beginning with the fall
7 semester.
8 (2)a. “Family” for a dependent applicant shall mean means the applicant, the applicant’s parents or legal
9 guardian, relative caregiver, and other children under the age of 21 of the applicant’s parents, legal guardian or relative
10 caregiver. The term “family”
11 b. “Family” for an independent applicant shall mean means the applicant, an applicant’s spouse and any
12 dependent children.
13 (3) “Eligibility period” means the maximum length of time that a student is eligible for the Inspire scholarship
14 program under § 3412A(b)(2) or § 3414A(c) of this title.
15 (3) (4) “Full-time” shall mean means a minimum of 24 credit hours in each academic year.
16 (5) “Delaware State Inspire Scholarship Program”, “Inspire scholarship program” or “Inspire grant” means the
17 tuition payments or grants under this subchapter.
18 (4) (6) “Institution” shall mean means Delaware State University.
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19 (5) (7) “School activity” shall mean means an open house, school curriculum night, parent and teacher
20 conference night, holiday program, or other school-related events conducted by a public middle school or high school
21 where parents, community members, and students are encouraged to attend and participate.
22 Section 2. Amend Subchapter XV, Chapter 34, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by
23 strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
24 § 3417A. Grant balance.
25 (a)(1)A student who completes a bachelor’s degree before the end of the applicable eligibility period has a
26 remaining Inspire grant balance.
27 (2) The remaining Inspire grant balance equals the amount of the Inspire grant for each semester of the
28 student’s eligibility period after the student receives their bachelor’s degree.
29 (b) A student may use the remaining Inspire grant balance to pay tuition for graduate degree program tuition at
30 Delaware State University.
31 (c) A student is eligible for the Inspire scholarship program under subsection (b) this section for 10 years after
32 completing a bachelor’s degree if the student meets all of the requirements under § 3412A and § 3414A of this title, except
33 as follows:
34 (1) The student does not need to be enrolled on a full-time basis.
35 (2) The student does not need to maintain continuous enrollment.
SYNOPSIS
The Delaware State Inspire Scholarship Program (Inspire scholarship) pays undergraduate tuition for 8 semesters
at Delaware State University (DSU). Some students complete their undergraduate degrees in less than 8 semesters because
they take heavier than average course loads each semester or because they earned college credits during high school. This
Act aims to reward students for their hard work and provide additional access and opportunity for them to continue their
higher education by allowing students to use the Inspire scholarship program towards additional levels of higher education
if the student obtains their undergraduate degree before using all 8 semesters of eligibility.
Specifically, this Act extends eligibility for Inspire scholarships as follows:
1. Under current law, most students may use Inspire grant money for up to 8 continuous semesters towards a
bachelor's degree at DSU. This Act allows students who complete a bachelor's degree in less than 8 continuous semesters to
use the remaining Inspire grant money towards a graduate degree program at DSU.
2. The Inspire scholarship program provides additional time for individuals who lived in foster care to complete an
undergraduate degree. This Act makes corresponding changes to the eligibility for these individuals so that they also can
use remaining Inspire grant money towards a graduate degree at DSU if they complete their undergraduate degree before
exhausting the time available to do so.
In addition, this Act modifies 2 requirements for eligibility for the Inspire scholarship program for students using
the scholarship for a graduate degree program so that students may be enrolled on a part-time basis and are not required to
maintain continuous enrollment.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative
Drafting Manual.
Author: Senator Paradee
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