DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Professional Standards Board

FINAL

REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER

1553 Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher

I.SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SUBMITTED

The Professional Standards Board, acting in cooperation and consultation with the Department of Education, seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1553 Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher. The regulation concerns the requirements for certification of educational personnel, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a). It is necessary to amend this regulation in order to update the current required coursework/professional development and Driver’s license requirements. This regulation sets forth the requirements for a Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher.

Notice of the proposed amendment of the regulation was published in the Delaware Register of Regulations on October 1, 2012. The notice invited written comments. No comments were received.

II. FINDINGS OF FACTS

The Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education find that it is appropriate to amend this regulation to comply with changes in statute.

III. DECISION TO AMEND THE REGULATION

For the foregoing reasons, the Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education conclude that it is appropriate to amend the regulation. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1205(b), the regulation attached hereto as Exhibit “A” is hereby amended. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), the regulation hereby amended shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.

IV. TEXT AND CITATION

The text of the regulation amended shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 1553 of the Administrative Code of Regulations of the Professional Standards Board.

V. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ORDER

The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.

APPROVED BY THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD THIS 1ST DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2012

IT IS SO ORDERED this 15th day of November, 2012.

Department of Education

Mark Murphy, Secretary of Education

Approved this 15th day of November, 2012

State Board of Education

1553 Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher

This regulation shall apply to the requirements for a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a), for Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher.

The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

“Department” means the Delaware Department of Education.

“License” means a credential which authorizes the holder to engage in the practice for which the license is issued.

“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.

In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Standard Certificate as a Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher to an applicant who holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License; or Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued by the Department prior to August 31, 2003, and who meets the following requirements:

3.1 Professional Education

3.1.1 A bachelor’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited college or university; and

3.1.1.1 A minimum of twelve (12) semester hours of pedagogy courses, taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it, from a regionally accredited college or university to include:

3.1.1.1.1 Human Development;

3.1.1.1.2 Identifying and Treating Exceptionalities;

3.1.1.1.3 Effective Teaching Strategies; and

3.1.1.1.4 Multicultural Education; and

3.1.1.2 A minimum of nine (9) semester hours, or equivalent in service courses approved by the Department, as indicated below:

3.1.1.2.1 Driver Education, Methods and Materials, 3 semester hours;

3.1.1.2.2 Driver Education, In Car Training, 3 semester hours; and

3.1.1.2.3 Three (3) semester hours selected from the following:

3.1.1.2.3.1 Alcohol and Drug Education;

3.1.1.2.3.2 Current Issues in Driver Education;

3.1.1.2.3.3 Organization, Administration and Supervision of Safety, Driver, and Traffic Safety Education;

3.1.1.2.3.4 Problems in Driver and Safety Education;

3.1.1.2.3.5 Research and Evaluation in Driver and Safety Education;

3.1.1.2.3.6 First Aid;

3.1.1.2.3.7 Teaching Mentally and Physically Challenged Individuals; or

3.1.1.2.3.8 Education for Safe Living.

3.2 Other Requirements.

3.2.1 A valid driver's license.

3.2.2 The applicant’s driving record shall not have more than five (5) points at the time of application.

3.2.3 The applicant’s driver’s license shall not have been suspended, revoked or disqualified in this State or any other jurisdiction for moving violations in the last five years and shall remain valid for the duration of the applicant’s employment under this standard certificate.

1.1 This regulation shall apply to the requirements for a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a), for Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher.

1.2 Except as otherwise provided, the requirements set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1505 Standard Certificate, including any subsequent amendment or revision thereto, are incorporated herein by reference.

The definitions set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1505 Standard Certificate, including any subsequent amendment or revision thereto, are incorporated herein by reference.

3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Standard Certificate as a Driver Education and Traffic Safety Education Teacher to an educator who has met the following:

3.1.1 Holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License; or a Professional Status Certificate issued by the Department prior to August 31, 2003; and,

3.1.2 Has met the requirements as set forth in 14 DE Admin Code 1505 Standard Certificate, including any subsequent amendment or revision thereto; and,

3.1.3 Has satisfied the additional requirements in this regulation.

An educator shall also have met the following:

4.1 Education requirements:

4.1.1 A minimum of twenty-one (21) credits, taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it from a regionally accredited college or university, or their equivalent in professional development approved by the Department in the following areas:

4.1.1.1 Human Development (3 credits);

4.1.1.2 Identifying and Treating Exceptionalities (3 credits);

4.1.1.3 Effective Teaching Strategies (3 credits);

4.1.1.4 Cultural Diversity (3 credits);

4.1.1.5 Driver Education, Methods and Materials (3 credits);

4.1.1.6 Driver Education, In Car Training (3 credits); and

4.1.1.7 Three (3) credits selected from one (1) of the following areas:

4.1.1.7.1 Alcohol and Drug Education (3 credits);

4.1.1.7.2 Current Issues in Driver Education (3 credits);

4.1.1.7.3 Problems in Driver and Safety Education (3 credits);

4.1.1.7.4 First Aid (3 credits);

4.1.1.7.5 Teaching Students with Disabilities (3 credits); or

4.1.1.7.6 Education for Safe Living (3 credits).

4.2 Driver’s License Requirements.

4.2.1 The applicant shall hold a valid driver's license.

4.2.2 The applicant’s driving record shall have no more than five (5) points total from Delaware or any other jurisdiction at the time of application.

4.2.3 The applicant’s driver’s license shall not have been suspended, revoked or disqualified in Delaware or any other jurisdiction in the last five (5) years and the applicant’s driver’s license shall remain valid for the duration of the applicant’s employment under this Standard Certificate.

4.3 The educator shall notify the Department immediately if they fail to meet the Driver’s License Requirements.