1.0 Content
1.1 This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate (Category) pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a).
1.1.1 This Standard Certificate is required for an Educator within charter school and district-identified bilingual classrooms or bilingual programs for grades K to 12 that are identified to serve students who are English Learners or immersion program students in Delaware public schools.
1.1.2 The Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate is a category Standard Certificate and does not certify an Educator to practice in a particular area or teach a particular subject. A category Standard Certificate only establishes that an Educator has met the prescribed education, knowledge, or skill to instruct a particular category of students. The Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate is limited to the category of students who are English Learners or immersion program students.
1.1.3 An Educator shall hold at least one content area Standard Certificate.
20 DE Reg. 447 (12/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
2.0 Definitions
The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning:
“Department” means the Delaware Department of Education.
“Educator” means a person licensed and certified by the State under 14 Del.C. Ch. 12 to engage in the practice of instruction, administration or other related professional support services in Delaware public schools, including charter schools, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the Professional Standards Board and approved by the State Board of Education. The term ‘educator’ does not include substitute teachers.
"Employing Authority" means any entity which employs educators, and includes, but is not limited to, school districts, charter schools, boards of directors, and management companies.
“Immorality” means conduct which is inconsistent with the rules and principles of morality expected of an educator and may reasonably be found to impair an educator’s effectiveness by reason of the educator’s unfitness or otherwise.
“License” means a credential which authorizes the holder to engage in the practice for which the license is issued.
“Passing Score” means a minimum score as established by the Standards Board, in consultation with the Department and with the approval of the State Board of Education.
“Regionally Accredited” means educational accreditation by a regional accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority concerning the quality of education offered by the institutions of higher education it accredits, including Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
“Standard Certificate” means a credential issued to certify that an educator has the prescribed knowledge, skill or education to practice in a particular area, teach a particular subject, or teach a category of students.
“Standards Board” means the Professional Standards Board established pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1201.
"Target Language" means the world language of the bilingual classroom or bilingual program.
"Valid and Current License or Certificate" means a current full or permanent certificate or license issued by another state or jurisdiction. This means the educator is fully credentialed by having met all of the requirements for full licensure or certification in another state or jurisdiction and is in good standing in that state or jurisdiction. It does not include temporary, emergency, conditional certificates of eligibility or expired certificates or licenses issued from another state or jurisdiction.
20 DE Reg. 447 (12/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
3.0 Issuance of a Standard Certificate
3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate to an applicant who:
3.1.1 Holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License or a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued by the Department prior to August 31, 2003 and meets the requirements set forth in Section 4.0 of this regulation; or
3.1.2 Has met the requirements for licensure and holds a Valid and Current License or Certificate in bilingual education.
3.2 Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, the Department shall not act on an application for a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate if the applicant is under official investigation by any national, state, or local authority with the power to issue educator licenses or certifications. The Department shall not act where the allegations include but are not limited to conduct such as Immorality, misconduct in office, incompetence, willful neglect of duty, disloyalty, or falsification of credentials until the applicant provides evidence of the investigation’s resolution.
20 DE Reg. 447 (12/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
4.0 Prescribed Education, Knowledge, and Skill Requirements
4.1 An applicant shall have satisfied the requirements in subsections 4.1.1 through 4.1.3.
4.1.1 The applicant shall have satisfied one of the following education requirements:
4.1.1.1 Obtained and currently maintain an English as a New Language certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or
4.1.1.2 Earned a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university with a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework in bilingual education from an educator preparation program approved or recognized by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), or a state where the state approval body employed the appropriate standards; or
4.1.1.3 Satisfactorily completed an alternative routes for licensure or certification program to teach English Learners as provided in 14 Del.C. §§1260 - 1266; or
4.1.1.4 Satisfactorily completed a Department-approved educator preparation program in bilingual education; or
4.1.1.5 Earned a bachelor's degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university in any content area and satisfactorily completed 15 college credits or the equivalent number of hours with one credit equating to 15 hours taken either as part of or in addition to a degree program from a Regionally Accredited college or university or a professional development provider approved by the Department in the following areas:
4.1.1.5.1 Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language (3 credits);
4.1.1.5.2 Second Language Acquisition (3 credits);
4.1.1.5.3 Teaching Literacy for English Learners (3 credits);
4.1.1.5.4 Second Language Testing (3 credits); and
4.1.1.5.5 Structure of the English Language (3 credits).
4.1.2 The applicant shall have demonstrated oral and written proficiency in English by satisfying one of the following requirements:
4.1.2.1 Earned a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university that is located in the United States or in a permanently inhabited territory of the United States in which the majority of courses were taught and assessed in the English language; or
4.1.2.2 Achieved a minimum level of Advanced Mid based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines on:
4.1.2.2.1 The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in English; and
4.1.2.2.2 The ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) in English.
4.1.3 The applicant shall have demonstrated oral and written proficiency in the Target Language of the bilingual classroom or bilingual program by satisfying both of the following requirements:
4.1.3.1 Achieved a minimum level of Advanced Mid based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines on the ACTFL OPI in the Target Language; and
4.1.3.2 Achieved a Passing Score on the ACTFL WPT in the Target Language.
4.1.3.2.1 For the purposes of subsection 4.1.3.2 of this regulation, a Passing Score shall be:
4.1.3.2.1.1 For tests using the Roman alphabet, achieving a minimum level of Advanced Mid based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
4.1.3.2.1.2 For tests using a non-Roman alphabet, achieving a minimum level of Advanced Low based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.
20 DE Reg. 447 (12/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
5.0 Application Requirements
5.1 If an applicant is applying for an Initial License, a Standard Certificate must be applied for simultaneously with the application for the Initial License, and the applicant shall also provide all required documentation for the License.
5.2 For an applicant who is applying for a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate under subsection 3.1.1 of this regulation, the following documentation is required in the application:
5.2.1 Evidence of obtaining and maintaining an English as a New Language certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, if applicable; and
5.2.2 Official transcript from the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university.
5.2.2.1 Electronic transcripts may be submitted by the Employing Authority or by the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university; or
5.2.2.2 Sealed paper transcripts may be submitted.
5.2.2.3 The Department will not accept copies of transcripts; and
5.2.3 Official scores on the ACTFL OPI and WPT in English as provided in subsection 4.1.2.2, if applicable; and
5.2.4 Official scores on the ACTFL OPI and WPT in the Target Language as provided in subsection 4.1.3; and
5.2.5 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
5.3 For an applicant who is applying for the Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate under subsection 3.1.2, the following documentation is required in the application:
5.3.1 An official copy of the Valid and Current License or Certificate; and
5.3.2 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
6.0 Validity of a Standard Certificate
6.1 A Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate is valid regardless of the assignment or employment status of the holder provided that the Educator's License remains current and valid.
6.2 A Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate is not subject to renewal.
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
7.0 Disciplinary Action
7.1 An Educator's Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate may be revoked, suspended, or limited for cause as provided in 14 DE Admin. Code 1514 Limitation, Suspension, and Revocation of Licenses, Certificates, and Permits.
7.2 An Educator's Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate shall be revoked if the Educator's Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License or Professional Status Certificate is revoked or the Educator made a materially false or misleading statement in the Educator's application in accordance with 14 Del.C. §1222.
7.3 An Educator whose certificate is noticed for disciplinary action is entitled to a full and fair hearing before the Standards Board. Hearings shall be conducted in accordance with 14 DE Admin. Code 1515 Hearing Procedures and Rules.
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
8.0 Secretary of Education Review
8.1 The Secretary of Education may, upon the written request of a local school district or charter school, review credentials submitted in an application for a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate on an individual basis and grant such a Standard Certificate to an applicant who otherwise does not meet the requirements for a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate but whose effectiveness is documented by the local school district or charter school district.
8.1.1 For school districts, requests shall be approved by the superintendent of the school district.
8.1.2 For charter schools, requests concerning the head of school of the charter school shall be approved by the charter school's board of directors and requests concerning all other applicants shall be approved by the charter school's head of school.
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
9.0 Past Certificate Recognized
The Department shall recognize a Bilingual Teacher Standard Certificate issued by the Department prior to the effective date of this regulation. An Educator holding such a Standard Certificate shall be considered certified to instruct English Learners or immersion program students.
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/01/03)
10 DE Reg. 693 (10/01/06)
Renumbered effective 06/01/07 - see Conversion Table
12 DE Reg. 339 (09/01/08)
20 DE Reg. 447 (12/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 90 (07/01/21)
Authenticated PDF Version