1.0 Content
This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a). This Standard Certificate is required for grades K to 12 in Delaware public schools.
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/01/03)
12 DE Reg. 341 (09/01/08)
20 DE Reg. 366 (11/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 96 (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.
“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.
“Valid and Current License or Certificate” means a current full or permanent certificate or license as an educator issued by another state or jurisdiction. This means the applicant is fully credentialed by having met all of the requirements for full licensure or certification as an educator 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.
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/01/03)
10 DE Reg. 995 (12/01/06)
12 DE Reg. 341 (09/01/08)
20 DE Reg. 366 (11/01/16)
21 DE Reg. 332 (10/01/17)
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
3.0 Issuance of a Standard Certificate
3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Teacher of English Learners 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 an educator's license in Delaware and presents proof of a Valid and Current License or Certificate as a teacher of English Learners issued by another state or jurisdiction.
3.2 Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, the Department shall not act on an application for a Teacher of English Learners 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.
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/01/03)
10 DE Reg. 995 (12/01/06)
12 DE Reg. 341 (09/01/08)
20 DE Reg. 366 (11/01/16)
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
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 1 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 Teaching English Learners from an educator preparation program approved or recognized by 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 teaching English Learners; or
4.1.1.5 Earned a bachelor’s degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university in any content area and also satisfactorily completed 15 college credits or the equivalent number of hours with 1 credit equating to 15 hours taken either as part of a degree program 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 1 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 the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in English and the ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) in English.
4.1.3 The applicant shall have achieved a minimum score of 149 on the Praxis Assessment - English to Speakers of Other Languages (ETS Test Code # 5362). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the applicant did not achieve the minimum score, the applicant shall meet the requirements set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1519 Multiple Measures for Demonstrating Content Knowledge.
20 DE Reg. 366 (11/01/16)
21 DE Reg. 332 (10/01/17)
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
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 If the applicant is also applying for the issuance or renewal of an educator's license or paraeducator's permit, the applicant must disclose the applicant's criminal conviction history upon application. Failure to disclose a criminal conviction history is grounds for denial of the license or permit application as specified in 14 Del.C. §1219 and it could delay the processing or result in the denial of the application for a Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate.
5.3 For an applicant who is applying for a Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate under subsection 3.1.1 of this regulation, the following documentation is required in the application:
5.3.1 Evidence of obtaining and maintaining an English as a New Language certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, if applicable; and
5.3.2 Official transcript from the applicant’s Regionally Accredited college or university.
5.3.2.1 Electronic transcripts may be submitted by the Employing Authority or by the applicant’s Regionally Accredited college or university; or
5.3.2.2 Sealed paper transcripts may be submitted.
5.3.2.3 The Department will not accept copies of transcripts; and
5.3.3 Official scores on the ACTFL OPI and WPT in English, as provided in subsection 4.1.2.2, if applicable; and
5.3.4 Official score on the Praxis Subject Assessment as provided in subsection 4.1.3; and
5.3.5 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
5.4 For an applicant who is applying for the Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate under subsection 3.1.2, the following documentation is required in the application:
5.4.1 An official copy of the Valid and Current License or Certificate; and
5.4.2 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
6.0 Secretary of Education Review
6.1 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 Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate on an individual basis and grant such a Standard Certificate to an applicant who otherwise does not meet the requirements for a Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate but whose effectiveness is documented by the local school district or charter school district.
6.1.1 For school districts, requests shall be approved by the superintendent of the school district.
6.1.2 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.
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
7.0 Validity of a Standard Certificate
7.1 A Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate is valid regardless of the assignment or employment status of the holder provided that the Educator’s License remains current and valid.
7.2 A Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate is not subject to renewal.
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
8.0 Disciplinary Action
8.1 An Educator’s Teacher of English Learners 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.
8.2 An Educator’s Teacher of English Learners 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.
8.3 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. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
9.0 Past Certificate Recognized
The Department shall recognize an English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher Standard Certificate issued by the Department before January 1, 2017. The Department shall also recognize a Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate issued by the Department prior to the effective date of this regulation. An Educator holding an ESOL Teacher Standard Certificate issued before January 1, 2017 or a Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate issued prior to the effective date of this regulation shall be considered certified to instruct English learners.
20 DE Reg. 366 (11/01/16)
21 DE Reg. 332 (10/01/17)
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
10.0 Contact Information and Change of Name or Address
10.1 All applicants and Educators are required to update their contact information in DEEDS if their contact information changes.
10.2 An Educator who legally changes the Educator's name and wishes to change the name on the Teacher of English Learners Standard Certificate shall provide a notarized copy of evidence of the name change such as a marriage license or court action.
10.3 An applicant or Educator whose mailing address, email address, or phone number changes shall provide the Department with the new mailing address, email address, or phone number within 14 calendar days of the change.
5 DE Reg. 1904 (04/01/02)
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/01/03)
10 DE Reg. 995 (12/01/06)
Renumbered effective 06/01/07 - see Conversion Table
12 DE Reg. 341 (09/01/08)
20 DE Reg. 366 (11/01/16)
21 DE Reg. 332 (10/01/17)
25 DE Reg. 96 (07/01/21)
26 DE Reg. 584 (01/01/23)
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