DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Professional Standards Board

final

Regulatory Implementing Order

1520 Early Childhood 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 1520 Early Childhood Teacher. It is necessary to amend this regulation given that the existing regulation reverted to DE Admin. Code 1505 Standard Certificate in June of 2006. This regulation sets forth the requirements for a teacher of Early Childhood.

Notice of the proposed amendment of the regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on Saturday, September 1, 2007 in the form hereto attached as Exhibit “A”. The notice invited written comments. Written comments were received from the State Council for Persons with Disabilities and the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens.

The Professional Standards Board appreciated the comments and agrees that the current Early Childhood teacher regulation is expired. The suggestion regarding extending certification to pre-kindergarten programs will be considered in future discussions and regulations. The Professional Standards Board recognizes the concern that section 3.1.5 requires oversight by an employing district, however, the regulation does not require that an applicant be employed, in that there are multiple other avenues open to the applicant that do not require employment. Section 3.1.5 provides an additional avenue to applicants that are currently teaching with an emergency certificate.

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 “B” 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 “B”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 1520 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 ON THE 4TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2007

FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

Valerie A. Woodruff, Secretary of Education

IT IS SO ORDERED THIS 18TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2007

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

1520 Early Childhood Teacher

This regulation shall apply to the requirements for a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a), for Early Childhood Teacher (Birth to 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, 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.

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 NASDTEC standards or 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 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 to 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 and Environmental, Earth and 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 to 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 to 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).

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 1505.

1520 Early Childhood Teacher

1.1 This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a), for Early Childhood Teacher. This certification is valid for birth to grade 2.

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.

2.1 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 an Early Childhood Teacher to an educator who has met the following:

3.1.1 Holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License; or a Limited Standard, Standard or 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.

If an examination of content knowledge such as Praxis II is not applicable and available, in the area the Standard Certificate is requested, an educator must also meet the following:

4.1 If the educator is applying for their second Standard Certificate pursuant to 14 DE Admin. Code 1505 Standard Certificate 3.1.5, the satisfactory completion of fifteen (15) credits or their equivalent in professional development related to Early Childhood Education, selected by the applicant with the approval of the employing school district or charter school which is submitted to the Department.