department of education
Professional Standards Board
Education Impact Analysis Pursuant To
14 Del.C. §122(d)
PROPOSED
1555 Standard Certificate Early Care And Education (Ages 0 - K) Teacher
Amendment to Existing Regulation
The Professional Standards Board, acting in cooperation and collaboration with the Department of Education, seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1555 Standard Certificate Early Care and Education (Ages 0 - K) 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 to align it with changes in the grade configuration of the standard certificate for elementary teacher. The amended regulation extends the age and grade span of the regulation from ages 0 - K to birth – grade 2. Course work requirements have been modified to expand the content knowledge required for this standard certificate.
1. Will the amended regulation help improve student achievement as measured against state achievement standards? The amended regulation addresses student achievement by establishing standards for the issuance of a standard certificate to educators who have acquired the prescribed knowledge, skill and/or education to practice in a particular area, to teach a particular subject or to instruct a particular category of students to help ensure that students are instructed by educators who are highly qualified.
2. Will the amended regulation help ensure that all students receive an equitable education? The amended regulation helps to ensure that all teachers employed to teach students meet high standards and have acquired the prescribed knowledge, skill and/or education to practice in a particular area, to teach a particular subject or to instruct a particular category of students.
3. Will the amended regulation help to ensure that all students' health and safety are adequately protected? The amended regulation addresses educator certification, not students’ health and safety.
4. Will the amended regulation help to ensure that all students' legal rights are respected? The amended regulation addresses educator certification, not students’ legal rights.
5. Will the amended regulation preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision makers at the local board and school level? The amended regulation will preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision makers at the local board and school level.
6. Will the amended regulation place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels? The amended regulation will not place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels.
7. Will decision making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated be placed in the same entity? The decision-making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated rests with the Professional Standards Board, in collaboration with the Department of Education, and with the consent of the State Board of Education.
8. Will the amended regulation be consistent with and not an impediment to the implementation of other state educational policies, in particular to state educational policies addressing achievement in the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, language arts and social studies? The amended regulation will be consistent with, and not an impediment to, the implementation of other state educational policies, in particular to state educational policies addressing achievement in the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, language arts and social studies.
9. Is there a less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the new regulation? 14 Del. C. requires that we promulgate this regulation.
10. What is the cost to the state and to the local school boards of compliance with the amended regulation? There is no additional cost to local school boards for compliance with the regulation.
1555 Standard Certificate Early Care And Education Teacher (Ages 0 - K)
“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, and/or education to practice in a particular area, teach a particular subject, or teach a category of students.
3.0 In accordance with 14 Del.C. '1220(a), the Department shall issue a Standard Certificate as an Early Care and 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 Degree Requirement
3.1.1 Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any field and 45 semester hours of general content courses. These courses may be part of the Bachelor's degree, but if not, then the courses shall be taken in addition to the degree.
3.1.1.1 Nine semester hours of English including an upper level composition course and a literature course
3.1.1.2 Twelve semester hours of science including one course each in Life/Environmental, Earth/Space and Physical Sciences
3.1.1.3 Nine semester hours of social sciences including World History, American History and Geography.
3.1.1.4 Nine semester hours of Mathematics
3.1.1.6 Six semester hours of Fine Arts, or
3.1.2 A Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college in the field of Education and,
3.2 Professional Education
3.2.1 An approved program in Early Care and Education, Birth to Kindergarten or,
3.2.2 An approved program in Primary Education which includes 15 semester hours of coursework, or the equivalent thereof, specific to the birth to kindergarten child and including instruction in each of the following areas:
3.2.2.1 Children's Growth, Development and Learning (ages 0-3 years);
3.2.2.2 Assessment of Young Children;
3.2.2.3 Language Development and Early Literacy in Young children;
3.2.2.4 Family Development and Service Systems for Children and Families;
3.2.2.5 Three additional semester hours taken in one of the four areas above or in another area specifically related to care giving for children ages 0-3 or,
3.2.3 A minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework to include a total of 45 semester hours of specific courses to be taken in addition to the degree if not a part of the degree program and to include the following courses as specified.
3.2.3.1 Children's Growth, Development, and Learning (6 semester hours);
3.2.3.2 Identifying and Teaching Children with Exceptional Needs (6 semester hours);
3.2.3.3 Parent, Family Community Interactions (3 semester hours);
3.2.3.4 Early Childhood Curriculum Development, Content, and Implementation (15 semester hours);
3.2.3.5 Professional Issues in Early Childhood Education (3 semester hours);
3.2.3.6 Fifteen semester hours to include 3 semester hours in each of the following areas dealing with children from birth to kindergarten: Children's Growth, Development and learning (ages 0-3 years), Assessment of Young Children, Language Development and Early Literacy in Young Children, and Family Development and Service Systems for Children and Families. Three additional semester hours taken in one of the four areas above or in another area specifically related to care-giving for children ages 0-3.
4.0 This regulation shall be effective through June 30, 2006 only. Applicants who apply for a standard certificate as an early care and education teacher after that date must comply with the requirements set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1516.
1555 Standard Certificate Early Childhood Teacher (Birth - Grade 2)
This regulation shall apply to the requirements for a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. '1220(a), for Early Childhood Teacher (Birth - Grade 2).
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.
“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.
“Standards Board” means the Professional Standards Board established pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1201.
“State Board” means the State Board of Education of the State of Delaware established pursuant to 14 Del.C. §104.
3.0 In accordance with 14 Del.C. 1220(a), the Department shall issue a Standard Certificate as an Early Childhood 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 A bachelor’s degree from an NCATE specialty organization recognized educator preparation program offered by a regionally accredited college or university, with a major in Early Childhood Education; or
3.2 A bachelor’s degree from a state approved educator preparation program offered by a regionally accredited college or university, with a major in Early Childhood Education, where the state approval body employed the appropriate NCATE specialty organization standards for early childhood teacher education; or
3.3 Passage of the appropriate PRAXIS™II test approved by the Standards Board and the State Board; or
3.4 A bachelor’s degree from an NCATE or state approved program, where the state approval body employed the appropriate NCATE specialty organization standards, offered by a regionally accredited college or university, with a major in Primary or Elementary Education; and
3.4.1 At least eighteen (18) semester hours of course work, specific to This now totals 21 credits. Do you want to change the requirement to 18 or allow some flexibility for folks to choose from among the stated courses? the birth to age five (5) child, taken either as part of the degree program or in addition to it, as follows:
3.4.1.1 Children’s Growth, Development and Learning (birth – age five (5)) (3 credits);
3.4.1.2 Early Childhood Curriculum Development, Assessment, Content, and Implementation (6 credits);
3.4.1.3 Language Development and Early Literacy in Young Children (3 credits);
3.4.1.4 Family Development and Service Systems for Children and Families (3 credits); and
3.4.1.5 Development and Programming for Young Children with Special Needs (3 credits); or
3.5 A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any field, and
3.5.1 A minimum of forty-five (45) semester hours of general content course work, taken either as part of the degree program or in addition to it, as follows:
3.5.1.1 English, including an upper level composition course and a literature course (9 semester hours);
3.5.1.2 A total of twelve (12) semester hours of science, including one course each in Life/Environmental, Earth/Space and Physical Sciences;
3.5.1.3 Social sciences, including world history, American history, political science, economics and geography (9 semester hours);
3.5.1.4 Mathematics (9 semester hours); and
3.5.1.5 Fine Arts or Humanities (6 semester hours); and
3.5.2 A minimum of thirty-nine (39) semester hours of course work, taken either as part of the degree program or in addition to it, as follows:
3.5.2.1 Children’s Growth, Development, and Learning (Birth – age 8) (6 semester hours);
3.5.2.2 Identifying and Teaching Children with Exceptional Needs (6 semester hours);
3.5.2.3 Early Childhood Curriculum Development, Assessment, Content, and Implementation, including a practicum of no less than 50 hours (Birth – age 8) (9 semester hours);
3.5.2.4 Professional Issues in Early Childhood Education (3 semester hours);
3.5.2.5 Language Development, Early Literacy and Reading in Young Children ( 9 semester hours);
3.5.2.6 Parent, Family Community Interactions (3 semester hours); and
3.5.2.7 Family Development and Service Systems for Children and Families ( 3 semester hours).
Will it be necessary to retain the course count option after 2006?
4.0 This regulation shall be effective through June 30, 2006 only. Applicants who apply for a standard certificate as an Early Childhood Teacher after that date must comply with the requirements set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1516.
