2016 Election Information

Below is detailed information on each of our endorsed candidates who have General Election
opponents. The information provided are the issues they support which matter most to DSEA
and its members.
To assist in navigating the document, clicking on the name below will take you directly to the
section pertaining to that particular candidate.
Sen. Harris McDowell
(Senate District 1)

Sen. Cathy Cloutier

(Senate District 5)

Sen. Patti Blevins

(Senate District 7)

Sen. Bruce Ennis

(Senate District 14)

Rep. Bryon Short

(House District 7)

Rep. Kevin Hensley

(House District 9)

Rep. Sean Matthews

(House District 10)

Rep. Jeff Spiegelman

(House District 11)

Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf

(House District 14)

Rep. Kim Williams

(House District 19)

Rep. Stephen Smyk

(House District 20)

Rep. Joe Miro

(House District 22)

Rep. Ed Osienski
(House District 24)

Rep. John Kowalko

(House District 25)

Rep. Trey Paradee

(House District 29)

Rep. Sean Lynn

(House District 31)

Rep. Andria Bennett

(House District 32)

Karen Williams
(House District 33)

David Henderson
(House District 34)

DELAWARE STATE SENATE CANDIDATES

Sen. Harris McDowell - Senate District 1 (D)
- Helped over 14,000 Delaware students attend college for free by creating the SEED
Scholarship Program
- As chair of the Joint Finance Committee, he helped to keep local children, happy,
healthy, and off the streets by funding organizations, like Boys & Girls Club, Kind to
Kids, Healthy food for Healthy Kids, PAL
- Supported reinstating funding for National Board Certification Stipend for Teachers and
Specialists
- Helped DE students complete in the ever-changing global economy by supporting
funding for important academic programs, like the Governors World Language
Expansion Initiative
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by voting to reestablish and strengthen the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
(return to candidate list)

Sen. Cathy Cloutier - Senate District 5 (R)

- Her leadership and advocacy made it possible for Delawares paraprofessionals to earn a
livable wage by compressing their salary step schedule from 26 to 10
- A true champion for students with special needs, she created state programs like ABLE,
and funded organizations like Autism DE, Best Buddies of DE, Down Syndrome
Association of DE, and the Special Olympics DE
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
(return to candidate list)

Sen. Patti Blevins - President Pro Tem Senate District 7 (D)

- Created the Delaware Stars Program to allow access to high quality early
childhood/pre-K care for all of Delawares children, especially those from low-income
families
- Expanded Delawares Healthy Children Program and revised it so that all children in
need of insurance can get coverage
- Established Child Abuse as an offense in Delaware, providing special protection to
infants, toddlers and children who have disabilities.
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
(return to candidate list)

Sen. Bruce Ennis - Senate District 14 (D)

- Safeguarded local student safety by requiring every school district to create a
comprehensive school safety plan and coordinate their plan for local law enforcement
and first responders
- As a retired police officer, he is a champion for school safety by supporting funding for
school resource officers, targeted prevention programs, and the expansion of in-school
behavioral health services in elementary and middle schools
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
(return to candidate list)

DELAWARE STATE HOUSE CANDIDATES

Rep. Bryon Short - House District 7 (D)
- Former Youth Rehabilitation Counselor at Ferris School
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
- Supports your right to collective bargaining and will not support legislation that would
put that in jeopardy
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Kevin Hensley - House District 9 (R)

- Former School Board member in Appoquinimink School District
- Supported the implementation of the IEP Improvement Taskforce recommendations to
help teachers and parents work together during the IEP process
- Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Sean Matthews - House District 10 (D)

- He is a teacher in the Brandywine School district who also goes to fight for educators in
Dover as our State Representative
- Supported the creation of a funding source for students enrolled in Delaware public
schools who are determined as low-income that will provide one unit of funding for
every 250 low-income students in grades K-12
- In an effort to promote earlier identification and assistance for basic special education
needs which should then mitigate costs over the long term, he supported State funding
for kindergarten through third grade for basic special education.
- Believes that a great improvement to our current funding system would be to add
additional units for poverty, ELL and students with IEP's
- Advocated for, and secured, a two-year grace period before Smarter Balance test scores
were used to make personnel decision
- Does not believe that a students test scores should be the only factor in determining
educator effectiveness or educator effectiveness
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Jeff Spiegelman - House District 11 (R)

- Prime sponsor of legislation to give more local control back to the school district rather
than force rules and procedures after the start of the school year
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Supports giving teachers time to teach by voting for bills aimed at lessening the weight
for standardized tests in teacher accountability
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, Speaker of the House - House District 14 (D)

- Created the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program in Delaware to
implement federal legislation enabling the creation of savings accounts with tax
advantages similar to 529 accounts, designed to be used by persons with disabilities to
save for qualifying disability and education related expenses
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
- Supported giving local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Kim Williams - House District 19 (D)

- Former School Board member in Red Clay Consolidated School District and PTA
member
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
- Prime sponsor of a bill to ensure that every community public high school in Delaware
would have a school-based health center
- Created legislation that would ensure Delaware workers with responsibilities for child
care, elder care, or both, receive equal employment opportunities and are protected
from discrimination in the workplace.
- A fervent supporter of labor, supports your right to collective bargaining and will not
support legislation that would put that in jeopardy
- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Steve Smyk - House District 20 (R)

- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
- Supports your right to collective bargaining and will not support legislation that would
put that in jeopardy
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Joe Miro - House District 22 (R)

- As a former teacher, he understands our needs and concerns as educators
- Recent appointee to the Southern Regional Education Board and appointee to the SREB
subcommittee on early childhood education
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Supported the creation of the Delaware Stars Program to allow access to high quality
care for all of Delawares children, especially those from low-income families
- Helped DE students complete in the ever-changing global economy by supporting
funding for important academic programs, like the Governors World Language
Expansion Initiative
- Supported funding for National Board Certification Stipend for Teachers and Specialists
- Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Ed Osienski - House District 24 (D)

- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
- Stood up and fought so that schools that participate in the National School Lunch
Program must also offer breakfast through an alternative service model and requires
that every public school that reaches a Free Claiming Percentage Rate of 70% or higher,
shall be required to offer a breakfast at no cost to every student in the school.
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center

As a former union member (Retired Business Agent for Sprinkler Fitters Local Union
669 ) he stands with the labor community, supports your right to collective bargaining,
and will not support legislation that would put that in jeopardy
Member of the Coalition to End Hunger in DE
(return to candidate list)

Rep. John Kowalko - House District 25 (D)

-

Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
Supported legislation to make schools that participate in the National School Lunch
Program must also offer breakfast through an alternative service model and requires
that every public school that reaches a Free Claiming Percentage Rate of 70% or higher,
shall be required to offer a breakfast at no cost to every student in the school.
Fought to keep our kids healthy by sponsoring a bill that prohibits school districts from
making available or serving food with more than 0.5 gram of artificial trans fatty acids
to students in grades K through 12.
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Trey Paradee - House District 29 (D)

-

As Vice Chairman of the House Internet and Technology Committee, he established and
the supported the recommendation of the State Educational Technology Taskforce, to
strengthen bandwidth, add Technology personnel units and upgrade classroom devices.
Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
Supports additional funding for children living in poverty, ELL, students living in
trauma, and students with special needs
Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Sean Lynn - House District 31 (D)

- As a former teacher, he understands our needs and concerns as educators
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Voted to give more local control back to the school district rather than force rules and
procedures after the start of the school year
- Advocated for, and secured, a two year grace period before Smarter Balance test scores
were used to make personnel decision
- Ensured that every community public high school in Delaware would have a schoolbased health center
- Does not believe that a students test scores should be the only factor in determining
educator effectiveness or educator effectiveness
(return to candidate list)

Rep. Andria Bennett - House District 32 (D)

- Ensured we would have a voice in our healthcare decisions by expanding the
composition of the State Employees Benefits Committee to provide Delaware public
employees with representation on the Committee
- Ensured the voices of educators were heard regarding the educator evaluation system in
Delaware by reestablishing and strengthening the DPAS II Advisory Committee
- Supports your right to collective bargaining and will not support legislation that would
put that in jeopardy
(return to candidate list)

Karen Williams for State Representative - House District 33 (D)

- Works as a high school teacher in Lake Forest School District and she will fight for
educators in Dover as our State Representative
- As a DSEA member, she stands with the labor community, supports your right to
collective bargaining, and will not support legislation that would put that in jeopardy
- Believes that once hired, there need to be appropriate measures in place (salary steps,
education incentives, and other incentives) to keep highly qualified teachers in our
buildings and in our state
- Understands that by providing our teachers with better pension benefits, we can help
even out the salary gap that inevitably arises during the course of an educators careers
- As a lifelong Kent County resident and graduate of Lake Forest High School, she is
dedicated to our local communities
(return to candidate list)

David Henderson for State Representative - House District 34 (D)

- Former School Board President in Caesar Rodney School District
- Understands that educators need support and the resources necessary to do their jobs
well
- Believes that we must offer salaries that are competitive with surrounding states in
order to hire and retain good educators
- Supported funding for National Board Certification Stipend for Teachers and Specialists