The Delaware Legislature completed its legislative session in the early hours of July 1 with the passage of a $456 million capital spending plan for 2015-16. Legislators approved a $3.9 billion 2015-16 general fund budget, up 2.6 percent over 2014-15. K-12 education receives $1.3 billion, a 3 percent increase, with $1.1 billion dedicated to school district operations, a 2.7 percent increase. Higher education funding increases 1.5 percent, up to $230,000. Education legislation passed includes House Bill 146, which establishes a one-time $100 educator licensure fee, and Senate Bill 33, which implements the recommendations of the Individualized Education Program Improvement Task Force.

The Louisiana Legislature adjourned June 11, having passed a $24.5 billion 2015-16 state operating budget (down 4.1 percent from the original 2014-15 budget). Funds from all sources to elementary and secondary education total $5.3 billion, up 2.6 percent, including $3.6 billion for the Minimum Foundation Program formula, up 1 percent. Education legislation of note includes House Bill 373, which requires the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to review, develop and implement (no later than March 2016) state academic standards; House Bill 542, which requires the state Department of Education to enter into a one-year contract for state assessments in 2015-16 for grades three through eight (less than 50 percent of the questions may be based on the PARCC assessment); and Senate Bill 43, which requires BESE to submit any rules relating to statewide elementary and secondary education content standards for legislative oversight.