DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Professional Standards Board

REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER

final

323 Certification Computer Science Teacher

Effective July 1, 1993

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 repeal Regulation 323 from Title 14 of the Delaware Administrative Code. The regulation concerns the requirements for certification of educational personnel. As part of a continuing effort to reduce the number of regulations which govern virtually every aspect of State government, it is recommended that the above-referenced regulation be repealed.

Notice of the proposed repeal of the regulations was published in the News Journal and Delaware State News on July 20, 2004, in the form hereto attached as Exhibit “A”. The notice invited written comments. Written comment was received from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens expressing the importance of computer proficiency/literacy for students, and the increasing need for students to develop computer skills. The regulation concerns computer science and computer programming, not computer proficiency or literacy, which are embedded throughout the curriculum at the elementary level, and which are taught through the business education, mathematics, and technology education curricula at the middle and high schools, in addition to being embedded throughout the curriculum. Students are required to demonstrate proficiency in computer literacy, but are not required to take a specific course. Fewer than 20 certificates are in existence, and none has been issued for this area in over four years.

II. Findings Of Facts

The Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education find that it is appropriate to repeal this regulation as the incidence of issuance of certificates pursuant to this regulation is extremely low, and all individuals are eligible to hold other certificates.

III. Decision To Repeal The Regulations

For the foregoing reasons, the Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education conclude the identified regulation should be repealed. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1203 and § 1205(b)., the regulations attached hereto as Exhibit “B” are hereby repealed.

IV. Text And Citation

The text of the regulations 323, attached hereto as Exhibit “B” are repealed, and said regulations shall be deleted from the DE Admin. Code.

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 2ND DAY of SEPTEMBER, 2004

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 16th Day of September, 2004

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

323 Certification Computer Science Teacher

Effective July 1, 1993

1.0 The following shall be required for a Standard License for all teachers assigned to teach computer programming grades 9-12 or any aspect of computer science, and is valid in grades 7-8.

1.1 Bachelor's degree from an accredited college and,

1.2 Professional Education

1.2.1 Completion of an approved teacher education program in Computer Science or,

1.2.2 A current, valid Standard License in any area of secondary education or,

1.2.3 A minimum of 24 semester hours to include Human Development, Methods of Teaching Computer Science, Identifying/Treating Exceptionalities, Effective Teaching Strategies, Multicultural Education, and student teaching at the secondary (9-12) level in an accredited secondary school and,

1.3 Specific Teaching Field

1.3.1 A major in Computer Information Science or,

1.3.2 A minimum of 12 semester hours of Computer Science course work to include a one-semester course in each of the following areas:

1.3.2.1 Data Structures and File Processing

1.3.2.2 Pascal Programming

1.3.2.3 Assembly Language

1.3.2.4 Operating Systems and,

1.3.2.5 A minimum of 6 semester hours of elective course work in Computer Science from courses designated with a Computer Science or Computer Information Science symbol.

2.0 The following shall be required for a Limited Standard License

2.1 This License may be issued for a 3-year period at the request of a Delaware public school district to a person who meets the requirements listed below, and who is employed as a teacher of Computer Science/Programming or related areas, to allow for the completion of the requirements stated in 1.0.

2.1.1 Requirements as stated in 1.1 and 1.2.2, and course work in 3 of the 4 required areas listed in 1.3.2 and,

2.1.2 Three years of successful classroom teaching experience at the secondary level in an accredited secondary school, while holding a Standard License in the content area taught.

3.0 Present Computer Teachers Protected

3.1 Those teachers authorized prior to the adoption of this License by the Delaware State Board of Education (4/89) to teach computer science or programming, and who have the recommendation of the district superintendent shall be authorized to continue in such a teaching assignment in the school district where the assignment was authorized. Authorization to teach in this circumstance does not constitute a License in the area of computer science, nor is such authorization transferable to any other school district. Courses taught for computer literacy or word processing skills do not require certification in computer science.

4.0 Licenses that may be issued for this position include Standard and Limited Standard.