Delaware House Democrats

Happy Pride Month, Delaware!🏳️‍🌈

We are proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community here in Delaware, in their continued fight for equality under the law.

In response to the news of former Wilmington Mayor Michael S. Purzycki’s passing, Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, and House Majority Whip Ed Osienski issued the following statement:

“The City of Wilmington would not be what it is now without Mike Purzycki’s decades of dedication to making it safer, fairer, and more accessible.

There are many Delawareans who have no idea how much the Wilmington Riverfront has changed over the years, because it’s hard to imagine that the popular area full of entertainment, restaurants, and beautiful views was an industrial wasteland not so long ago. Mike Purzycki helped make that happen in his role in the Riverfront Development Corporation. And when he became Mayor of Wilmington, he continued to transform the city so that Wilmingtonians could thrive in a place where they were proud to live.

In his first year in office, he helped to launch Wilmington’s annual HBCU Week and College Fair, giving thousands of young people the opportunity to learn more about their options, and compete for on-the-spot college acceptances and scholarship awards. His legacy in that work is honored through the $10,000 Michael S. Purzycki Changemaker Scholarship offered by the HBCU Week Foundation.
To be a leader is to make sacrifices, and that’s often all that people see. But Mike’s work on the East Side of Wilmington to increase affordable housing options alongside the Woodlawn Trustees, Habitat for Humanity, the WRK Group, and other community partners earned him the admiration of many who were able to restart thanks to his impact.

Mike loved to build. We see that not just through the many landmarks that we can now look to and remember him, but the community, as well. His work brought people together, and in a city where community has always been the key to success, that was very important.
Former New Castle County Councilman and Mayor of Wilmington Michael S. Purzycki left an indelible mark on the entire state, and we will never forget that. Our thoughts are with his wife, Bette, and his entire family during this time.”

Delaware students are making significant academic recovery gains following the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks in part to actions taken by House Democrats over the last several years.
The new national Education Scorecard report ranked Delaware 4th out of 38 states in math growth, and 14th out of 25 states in reading recovery. Additionally, chronic absenteeism fell from 24.7 percent in 2022 to 16.6 percent in 2025.

These findings represent significant growth for Delaware students and demonstrate the effectiveness of the policy actions taken by the Department of Education and the General Assembly over the past few years. Below are several highlights, all sponsored by House Education chair Kim Williams State Representative, 19th District:

📝 House Bill 86: Provided increased funding for K-3rd-grade students identified as eligible for basic special education services.

📝House Bill 202: Increased the opportunity for Delaware children to undergo developmental screening at an early age in order to identify children who may be eligible for Early Intervention or special education services.

📝 House Bill 91: Made free breakfast available at all schools that participate in the federal School Breakfast Program.

📝 Senate Bill 56: Codified the Opportunity Fund, an additional source of educational funding for public schools to support low-income and English learner students.

We’ve also made significant investments in our educator workforce, helping Delaware rank first in the nation last year for growth in the number of educators from pre- to post-pandemic levels.

Delaware students are our future, and they deserve all of the attention we can give them. That’s why in the last few years, the General Assembly has prioritized passing meaningful education policy, including measures to increase funding, expand access to mental health resources, and increase screening opportunities - all of which have contributed to student success.

While there is still progress to be made, Delaware’s national Education Scorecard rankings show great promise for the state, and reinforce the need for continued pressure to move the needle where it needs to be.