Delaware Teacher Requirements

Requirements For Earning a Delaware Teacher Certificate:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Completion of a teacher preparation program
• Pass the PRAXIS I exam
• Providing the necessary documents to the Delaware Education Data System, including your transcript and other documents
• Completion of the Delaware Child Protection Registry Request Form

Requirements For Upgrading to a Delaware Teacher Standard Certificate

• Fifteen credits of professional development
• Completion of the Comprehensive Induction Program
• A satisfactory annual review during each year you hold your initial certificate
• Performance Assessment from the state
• Completion of the PRAXIS II exam in your field of work

Exams Necessary for a Delaware Teacher

• PRAXIS I test for initial applicants
• PRAXIS II exam for upgrading your certificate
• edTPA by Pearson and PPAT by ETS tests for performance assessment purposes

Standards For Renewing Your Delaware Teacher License

• Completion of at least ninety study hours of professional development courses

Becoming a Delaware Teacher

The initial application process will entail receiving an Initial License. You can also upgrade to a Standard Certificate after a couple of years. Besides, you will need to upgrade to that level to continue teaching after three years.

The Delaware Department of Education will support those looking to become teachers in the state.

However, anyone who wishes to become a teacher in Delaware must hold a bachelor’s degree. You must also complete a teacher preparation program that meets these rules listed by the Delaware Department of Education:

• The program must be from a regionally-accredited four-year school.
• The program must furthermore have accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
• The system should be for initial educators.
• Your program should also be in a program area where the state offers a comparable certificate.

All new teachers must complete the PRAXIS I exam.

You will apply for your certificate through the Delaware Education Data System. You can provide the following:

• An official sealed transcript
• A Request for Transcript Form for those who have completed out-of-state preparation programs
• Reports on your PRAXIS scores
• All necessary fees and other application documents

You’ll also need to complete the Delaware Child Protection Registry Request Form to meet the state’s Delaware Child Abuse Clearance standard. The form confirms that you are safe to have around children in an educational setting.

Upgrading to a Standard Certificate

The first certificate you receive will be an Initial License. The license is valid for three years, but it cannot be renewed. You must then receive a Standard Certificate to teach in Delaware if you wish to continue teaching. The Standard Certificate is good for five years, plus you can renew it after that period ends.

You will require fifteen credits of professional development courses during your three-year period to attain your Standard Certificate. These include courses surrounding education standards and how to manage classroom activities.

You will also go through the Comprehensive Induction Program when working to attain your license. The program provides further help in understanding how one’s teaching skills can develop and how school district policies work.

You will require an annual evaluation of your teaching work while you hold your Initial License. However, you must have a satisfactory or greater review each year to be eligible to upgrade your status.

The PRAXIS II exam is necessary for all Standard Certificate applicants. The test focuses on a specific content area of study.

You must also complete a Performance Assessment. The assessment reviews your pedagogy skills and confirms your ability to handle students in an educational environment.

You can then submit the necessary documents surrounding your educational efforts to the Delaware Educator Data System.

Understanding the Comprehensive Induction Program

A student teaching internship is also necessary for a certificate. The program is called the Comprehensive Induction Program. It focuses on understanding how the education system works and what a teacher can do when completing one’s work.

The CIP can last for about four years on average. You can start your work in the CIP while you apply for your initial certificate. The effort in the CIP entails:

• Teaching students while under the guidance of a professional mentor
• Participating in professional learning workshops
• Plan lessons and other discussions for the classroom; your mentor can review how well you can complete your work
• Completing ethics courses and other forms of continuing education
• Establish a learning plan for your general growth

Exams Necessary For Study

All applicants at the start must complete the PRAXIS I test. The exam entails a review of your reading, writing, and mathematics skills. However, you may be exempt from the PRAXIS I test if you attained any of these scores on other tests:

• SAT scores of at least 560 on the Verbal battery and 540 on the Math portion
• GRE scores of 490 on the Verbal section and 490 on the Quantitative part (these drop respectively to 152 and 145 for the GRE Revised General Test)
• 670 or greater on the Writing section of the Core Battery Communications Skills Test

The PRAXIS II test is for standard certification purposes. You must complete a test relating to the subject matter you will teach.

The Performance Assessment Test

The performance assessment test necessary for educators in Delaware entails a review of how well educators can show what they should be doing in the classroom. The edTPA by Pearson and PPAT by ETS tests are utilized in this process.

Such assessment tests focus on:

• Identifying how well you can create lesson plans
• How you can communicate your ideas with students
• How you will respond to the needs the students hold
• Managing unique classroom situations

Such assessments are required to confirm that a teacher can provide satisfactory support for students. All teachers should have a satisfactory result or greater on their performance assessment tests to continue providing services to their students.

Renewing a License

You can renew your license by completing ninety clock hours of professional development studies. There are a few rules on how you can attain those hours:

• At least half of those hours should be in work relating to one’s ability to handle students.
• All hours should comply with the requirements held by the Delaware Professional Standards Board.
• Your employer must approve of whatever studies you complete.

The Delaware Department of Education provides support for people looking to renew their licenses.