DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Professional Standards Board
FINAL
REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER
1542 Standard Certificate Science Teacher Middle Level
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 1542 Standard Certificate Science Teacher Middle Level. It is necessary to amend this regulation to remove the requirements for earth science and physical science from this regulation, as those subjects are taught at the high school level, not the middle school level.
Notice of the proposed amendment of the regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on November 23, 2004, in the form hereto attached as Exhibit “A”. 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 adopt this regulation.
III. Decision to Adopt 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 “B” is hereby adopted. 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 “B”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 1542 of the Administrative Code of Regulations of the Department of Education.
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 THE 6th DAY OF JANUARY, 2005
Harold Roberts, Chair Sharon Brittingham
Norman Brown Heath Chasanov
Edward Czerwinski Angela Dunmore
Karen Gordon Barbara Grogg
Bruce Harter Valerie Hoffmann
Leslie Holden Carla Lawson
Mary Mirabeau Gretchen Pikus
Karen Schilling Ross Carol Vukelich
FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:
Valerie A. Woodruff, Secretary of Education
IT IS SO ORDERED This 20th Day Of January, 2005
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Dr. Joseph A. Pika, President
Jean W. Allen, Vice President
Richard M. Farmer, Jr.
Mary B. Graham, Esquire
Valarie Pepper
Dennis J. Savage
Dr. Claibourne D. Smith
1542 Standard Certificate B Science Teacher B Middle Level
1.0 Content
This regulation shall apply to the requirements for a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a), for Science Teacher - Middle Level (required for grades 7-8, and valid in a middle level school, grades 5-6).
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/1/03)
2.0 Definitions
2.1 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.
[“Science Discipline” means those areas of science for which Delaware content standards have been established.]
"Standard Certificate" means a credential issued to certify that an educator has the prescribed knowledge, skill, and/or education to practice in a particular area, teach a particular subject, or teach a category of students.
“State Board” means the State Board of Education of the State pursuant to 14 Del.C. §104.
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/1/03)
3.0 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Standard Certificate as a Science Teacher – Middle Level 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 A Bbachelor’s degree from an NCATE specialty organization recognized educator preparation program offered by a regionally accredited college or university, with a major in general science, middle school science, or a science discipline; and or
3.2 Professional Education A bachelor’s degree from a state approved educator preparation program offered by a regionally accredited college or university, with a major in general science, middle school science, or a science discipline where the state approval body employed the appropriate NASDTEC standards or NCATE specialty organization standards; or
3.3 Passage of the appropriate PRAXIS™ II test approved by the Standards Board and the State Board in science; or
3.4 A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a major in general science, middle level science, or a science discipline; and
3.4.1 Completion of at least the semester hours indicated below A minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours of pedagogy courses from a regionally accredited college or university to include:
3.4.1.1 Human development;
3.4.1.2 Methods of teaching middle school or secondary science;
3.4.1.3 Teaching of reading in the content areas or identifying/treating exceptionalities;
3.4.1.4 Effective teaching strategies; and
3.4.1.5 Multicultural education; and or
3.3.3.1 Earth science:
3.3.3.1.1 Courses should include at least 42 semester hours, with at least 3 semester hours in each of the following: geology, geography, climatology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy, laboratory safety, biology, chemistry, and mathematics.
3.4.1.2 1General Science:3.3.3.2.1 Courses should include at least 39 semester hours, with at least 3 semester hours in each of the following, except where noted: laboratory safety,
3.5 Completion of the pedagogy requirements set forth in section 3.4.1 and a total of thirty-six (36) semester hours in science, with a minimum of:
3.5.1 Mathematics (3 semester hours);
3.5.2 Environmental education (3 semester hours);
3.5.3 Earth science (6 semester hours); and
3.5.4 12 semester hours in bBiology (12 semester hours); and
3.5.5 12 semester hours in Cchemistry, physics, and physical science (12 semester hours combined with a minimum of 3 semester hours in each area).
3.3.3.3 Physical science:
3.3.3.3.1 Courses should include at least 42 semester hours, with at least 3 semester hours in each of the following, except where noted: chemistry (12 semester hours); physics (12 semester hours); laboratory safety, biology, mathematics (6 semester hours); and earth science.
3.2.1 Completion of an approved teacher education program in science; or
3.2.2 Aa minimum of 24 semester hours to include human development; methods of teaching middle school or secondary science; teaching of reading in science or identifying/treating exceptionalities; effective teaching strategies; multicultural education; and
3.3 Specific Teaching Field
3.3.1 Major in the area of the certificate sought; or
3.3.2 Completion of an approved teacher education program in the area of the certificate sought; or
4.0 This regulation shall be effective through June 30, 2006 only. Applicants who apply for a Standard Certificate as a Science Teacher B Middle School after that date must comply with the requirements set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1516.
7 DE Reg. 775 (12/1/03)
