Student-led. Nonpartisan. Building a permanent voice for young Delawareans.

Delaware Youth Council The campaign to create it.

The case in two minutes

One voice cannot represent 210,000

About one in five Delaware residents is under 18. State government has valuable youth-advisory programs, but no standing statewide body that represents high-school students across all three counties and across policy areas.

210,000 Delaware residents under 18
1 annual statewide student seat in current law
3 counties the proposal would represent equally

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    What Delaware has now

    Delaware law provides one annual, nonvoting student seat on the State Board of Education. The student must attend a Delaware public school and be entering grade 11 or 12. The role addresses education policy.

    Delaware also supports HOPE, a council for young people who are or were in state care. HOPE focuses on that system, independent living, and related services.

    Both roles serve a defined purpose. Neither is a standing, cross-policy council for high-school students from all three counties.

    What the proposal would add

    The proposal would create a 15-member council for Delaware students in grades 9 through 12. Five seats would come from each county through one open application.

    • Listen statewide. Run a youth survey and at least one listening session in each county.
    • Report publicly. Deliver one findings report each year with recommendations chosen by the student members.
    • Create a response process. Hold a legislative hearing and publish written responses to the recommendations.
    • Address access. Permit remote participation and set compensation and travel rules in the bill, subject to appropriation.

    Check the sources

    1. U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Delaware. Population estimate and residents under age 18. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/DE/PST045225
    2. Delaware Code, Title 14, Section 104: State Board composition and student-member eligibility. https://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c001/sc01/
    3. Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families: HOPE Youth Advisory Council. https://kids.delaware.gov/family-services/youth-advisory-council/
    4. Delaware Executive Order 29 (1970): historical Governor's Youth Council. https://www.legis.delaware.gov/SessionLaws/Chapter?id=28334
    5. Washington Revised Code 43.15.095: Legislative Youth Advisory Council. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.15.095
    6. Vermont Statutes, Title 3, Section 3097: statewide advisory body for young people. https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/03/053/03097
    7. Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 219A: Nevada Youth Legislature. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-219A.html