(a) Any correctional officer holding the rank of Captain or below may avail themselves of the provisions of this act to prepay the tuition costs for higher education related to their position.

(b) The classes will be 100% prepaid by the Department upon application to the Human Resources Director of the Department prior to commencement of classes at a college or university within the State for classes related to corrections, public safety, criminal justice, psychology or sociology or related fields. Related fields shall include any courses necessary to complete a degree program in Criminal Justice, Corrections, Public Safety, Psychology or Sociology. Correctional officers who work in the food service, mechanical or building trades and maintenance area shall be eligible for prepayment for classes that relate to their field or trade. The officer must maintain a C average or better in the classes taken to remain eligible for this program.

(c) The Department shall take the funds appropriated for this section in each fiscal year and allocate them as follows:

40% for the fall semester;

40% for the spring semester; and

20% for the summer semester.

The Department shall establish a deadline date for applying for said funds. If there are more applications than funds for any semester, then the funds shall be prorated between the applications. If there are less funding applications than funds available, excess funds shall be rolled over to the next semester.

(d) An officer who has received funding pursuant to this section but who is terminated from the Department for cause prior to completion of current vouchered courses or who otherwise fails to comply with any requirement of this section shall immediately become ineligible to receive education benefits pursuant to this section and shall repay the Department for all tuition and fee funding previously extended to the officer, including interest, on a pro rata basis from the time of termination or noncompliance. The Commissioner shall adopt appropriate procedures to determine the amount of repayment and the method of collection due by the officer pursuant to this subsection. If an employee voluntarily leaves the Department prior to completion of funded courses, the officer will not be required to repay previously funded tuition but will have to repay the current quarter or semester’s tuition.

72 Del. Laws, c. 273, § 1; 73 Del. Laws, c. 102, §§ 1, 2; 73 Del. Laws, c. 175, §§ 1-6.