Delaware drops plan to regulate some Catholic school programs

Published: 2004-04-12

WILMINGTON, Del. (CNS) -- Responding to complaints from Catholic school officials, parents and others, the state of Delaware has dropped plans to regulate preschool and extended-care programs operated by Catholic and other private schools. The proposed regulations would have set minimum staffing ratios, space requirements, curriculum guidelines and staff qualifications for such programs in private schools. When the state's Office of Child Care Licensing revised its regulations last year, it removed a 1988 exemption for private schools. But public comment at four hearings and in more than 400 written responses strongly favored retaining the exemption. "That exemption is going to remain," Lynn Jezyk, the office's rule development manager, said in mid-March. "When a vast majority of the folks are concerned about an issue, that dictates what you are going to do." Xaverian Brother Jim Malone, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Wilmington Diocese, said, "We're very pleased."

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