TITLE 14

Education

Free Public Schools

CHAPTER 12. Educator Licensure, Certification, Evaluation, Professional Development, and Preparation Programs

Subchapter VI. Alternative Routes for Teacher Licensure and Certification

81 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 2
§ 1260. Requirements for an alternative routes for teacher licensure and certification program.

(a) Criteria is established for alternative routes for teacher licensure and certification programs, which are intended to provide essential knowledge and skills to participants in ARTC programs, through the following phases of training:

(1) A seminar and practicum that include all of the following:

a. Formal instruction or equivalent professional development required by an ARTC program established by regulation of the Department or law.

b. Introduction of basic teaching skills through supervised teaching experiences with students.

c. Components that are integrated and include an orientation to the policies, organization, and curriculum of the employing district or charter school.

d. 1. Assessment of the ARTC program participant’s ability to apply pedagogical skills to meet the needs of the participant’s students.

2. The Department shall create a committee of stakeholders including teachers, principals, local education agency administrators, representatives of institutions of higher education, representatives of the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), representatives of the Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA), and national experts, to gather input and make recommendations regarding the options for an ARTC program to assess the pedagogical skills of their participants.

(2) At least 200 hours of formal instruction, or equivalent professional development approved by the Department, is required to address subjects including, at a minimum, all of the following:

a. Curriculum.

b. Student development and learning at all levels.

c. The classroom and the school.

(b) A participant in an ARTC program may be granted hours for formal instruction or equivalent professional development successfully completed before entry into the program, or during the seminar and practicum.

(c) The Department shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this section.

70 Del. Laws, c. 459, §  171 Del. Laws, c. 180, §  62A72 Del. Laws, c. 294, §§  12, 1375 Del. Laws, c. 77, §§  21-2577 Del. Laws, c. 15, §§  1, 2, 578 Del. Laws, c. 214, § 180 Del. Laws, c. 10, § 180 Del. Laws, c. 297, § 381 Del. Laws, c. 43, § 381 Del. Laws, c. 202, §§   7, 881 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 283 Del. Laws, c. 79, § 5

§ 1261. Requirements for a district or charter school utilizing an alternative routes for teacher initial licensure and certification program.

A district or charter school seeking to hire an individual who is a potential participant in an ARTC program must do all of the following:

(1) Assign to each individual who is a potential participant a mentor under rules and regulations promulgated and adopted under §§  1210 and 1212 of this title.

(2) Provide an initial period of intensive on-the-job supervision under rules and regulations promulgated by the Department.

(3) Provide an additional period of continued supervision and evaluation under rules and regulations promulgated by the Department.

70 Del. Laws, c. 459, §  171 Del. Laws, c. 180, §  62B72 Del. Laws, c. 294, §§  14, 1575 Del. Laws, c. 77, §§  26-3077 Del. Laws, c. 15, §§ 3, 4, 578 Del. Laws, c. 214, § 1;  , § 1;  , § 1;  , §§ 9, 10;  , § 3; 

§ 1262. Requirements for participation in an alternative routes for teacher initial licensure and certification program.

(a) Subject to § 1217 of this title and notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, an individual who is a potential participant must be issued an initial license in an ARTC program and applicable certification, provided the individual meets all of the following criteria:

(1) Holds a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university.

(2) Has at least 24 credits from a regionally-accredited college or university aligned to the content area in which the individual is seeking certification, or the equivalent in professional development approved by the Department, appropriate to the instructional field, or passing scores on an approved content-readiness exam prior to entering the ARTC program.

(3) Obtains an acceptable health clearance under Department regulations, and an acceptable criminal background check clearance.

(4) Obtains and accepts an offer of employment in a full-time position that requires instructional certification.

(b) While in an ARTC program, a participant must meet both of the following criteria:

(1) Maintain satisfactory progress towards the completion of all ARTC program requirements.

(2) Be continuously employed with a district or charter school.

(c) An ARTC program participant must attain all of the following, before the expiration of the initial license to obtain standard certification within the first 3 years of teaching:

(1) Successful completion of all ARTC program requirements.

(2) Two summative evaluations using a state-approved educator evaluation system with not more than 1 summative evaluation being unsatisfactory.

(3) Passing scores on approved content readiness exams under the certification requirements.

(4) [Repealed.]

(d) The Department may grant additional time to complete the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, in consultation with the ARTC program, to an ARTC program participant based on exigent circumstances to complete any remaining formal instruction or equivalent professional development. The total extension of time may not exceed 1 year and a participant may be granted only 1 extension.

(e) The Department shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this section.

70 Del. Laws, c. 459, §  172 Del. Laws, c. 294, §§  16, 1781 Del. Laws, c. 202, § 1181 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 483 Del. Laws, c. 79, § 683 Del. Laws, c. 399, § 1

§ 1263. Issuance of initial licensure and certification to a participant in an alternative routes for teacher initial licensure and certification program.

(a) At the conclusion of an ARTC program, all of the following must be met:

(1) The ARTC program shall provide to each participant and the Department documentation stating whether the participant has successfully completed the alternative routes for teacher licensure and certification seminar and hours of formal instruction or professional development under § 1260 of this title.

(2) The local education agency shall provide to each participant and the Department documentation stating whether the participant has 2 summative evaluations using a state-approved educator evaluation system with not more than 1 summative evaluation being unsatisfactory.

(3) Each participant shall provide to the Department official documentation of passing scores on state-approved content readiness exams under the certification requirements.

(b) Subject to § 1217 of this title and notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, the Department shall issue to an ARTC program participant the appropriate license and certification, if the participant has attained all of the following:

(1) Successful completion of all ARTC program requirements.

(2) Two summative evaluations using a state-approved educator evaluation system with not more than 1 summative evaluation being unsatisfactory.

(3) Passing scores on approved content readiness exams under the certification requirements.

(4) [Repealed.]

(c) The Department shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this section.

70 Del. Laws, c. 459, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  171 Del. Laws, c. 180, §  62C72 Del. Laws, c. 294, §§  18-2075 Del. Laws, c. 77, §§  31-36, 4480 Del. Laws, c. 297, § 381 Del. Laws, c. 43, § 381 Del. Laws, c. 202, § 1281 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 583 Del. Laws, c. 79, § 7

§ 1264. Procedure for teachers participating in an alternative routes for teacher licensure and certification program to contest licensure and certification decisions [Repealed].
70 Del. Laws, c. 459, §  170 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  171 Del. Laws, c. 180, §  62D72 Del. Laws, c. 294, §§  21, 2275 Del. Laws, c. 77, §  3781 Del. Laws, c. 202, § 13repealed by 81 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 6, effective June 28, 2018.

§ 1265. Report to General Assembly on alternative routes to certification, including the Teach for America program [Repealed].
78 Del. Laws, c. 259, §  1repealed by 81 Del. Laws, c. 202, § 14, effective Jan. 29, 2018.

§ 1266. Requirements for an alternative routes to certification programs for teachers of students with disabilities.

In order to be State approved, an alternative routes to certification program for teachers of students with disabilities must include all of the following:

(1) Delivery of high-quality professional development to a teacher that is sustained, intensive, and classroom focused.

(2) The requirement that a teacher participates in intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular, ongoing support or teacher mentoring.

(3) The requirement that a teacher participate for no more than 3 years.

(4) The requirement that a teacher demonstrate satisfactory progress toward standard certification.

(5) Provision of regular reports to the Department, made in accordance with rules and regulations that the Department promulgates, that the requirements under this section are being met.

(6) a. An assessment of the ARTC program participant’s ability to apply pedagogical skills to meet the needs of the participant’s students.

b. The Department shall create a committee of stakeholders including teachers, principals, local education agency administrators, representatives of institutions of higher education, representatives of the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), representatives of the Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA), and national experts, to gather input and make recommendations regarding the options for an ARTC program to assess the pedagogical skills of their participants.

81 Del. Laws, c. 202, § 1583 Del. Laws, c. 79, § 8