DCIU reps rub elbows with state lawmakers during ‘Day on the Hill’
Representatives of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit on March 24 trekked to Harrisburg to “engage in meaningful conversations” with legislators about its work providing educational services across the county.
As part of the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units’ “Day on the Hill,” DCIU representatives met with a slew of state representatives who represent parts of the county. State senators whom they visited included Democrats Amanda Cappelletti, John Kane, Tim Kearney and Anthony Hardy Williams. And state representatives whom DCIU spoke to included Democrats Lisa Borowski, Heather Boyd, Gina Curry, Leanne Krueger, Joanna McClinton and Jennifer O’Mara, as well as Republican Craig Williams.
“We are deeply grateful for their continued leadership and support of our programs and services,” DCIU said in a social media post, referring to the legislators.
Morton-based DCIU offers programs to address a range of community needs, including early intervention, professional development for educators, support for students with disabilities, career and technical education, behavioral health support, and more.
DCIU is also one of 29 regional educational service agencies represented by PAIU. On its website, the organization enumerates a variety of legislative priorities, such as advocating for the passage of bills that would allow intermediate units to own — rather than just lease — space for instructional purposes. The current ownership restriction “often leads to higher costs and less optimal environments, particularly for early childhood and special education,” PAIU noted.
Other policy requests aren’t tied to specific legislation but are nevertheless important to the state’s intermediate units. For example, PAIU and its member agencies want legislators to “expand the availability of counseling, social work, and trauma-informed practices for children to address a wide range of challenges.”From a fiscal perspective, PAIU wants legislators to “develop a predictable funding model for Preschool Early Intervention” and “fund loan forgiveness programs, tuition assistance and professional development pathways for special education personnel.”
