DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Professional Standards Board

PROPOSED

Education Impact Analysis Pursuant To 14 Del.C. Section 122(d)

1509 Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation

A. TYPE OF REGULATORY ACTION REQUESTED

Reauthorization of Existing Regulation

B. SYNOPSIS OF SUBJECT MATTER OF 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 reauthorize regulation 14 DE Admin. Code 1509 Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation. It is necessary to review this regulation in order to comply with the 5 year regulation review process. No changes have been deemed necessary. This regulation sets forth the requirements for a Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation.

Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 to Mr. Charlie Michels, Executive Director, Delaware Professional Standards Board, The Townsend Building, 401 Federal Street, Dover, Delaware 19901. Copies of this regulation are available from the above address or may be viewed at the Professional Standards Board Business Office.

C. IMPACT CRITERIA

1. Will the reauthorized regulation help improve student achievement as measured against state achievement standards? The reauthorized 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 reauthorized regulation help ensure that all students receive an equitable education? The reauthorized 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 reauthorized regulation help to ensure that all students' health and safety are adequately protected? The reauthorized regulation addresses educator certification, not students’ health and safety.

4. Will the reauthorized regulation help to ensure that all students' legal rights are respected? The reauthorized regulation addresses educator certification, not students’ legal rights.

5. Will the reauthorized regulation preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision-makers at the local board and school level? The reauthorized regulation will preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision makers at the local board and school level.

6. Will the reauthorized regulation place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels? The reauthorized 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 reauthorized 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 reauthorized 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 reauthorized 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 adopted regulation? There is no additional cost to local school boards for compliance with the regulation.

1509 Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation

This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation to a candidate for an Initial License who meets the criteria set forth by the Mid Atlantic Regional Teachers Project, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1210.

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.

“Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation” means a designation of excellence for new teachers which enables them to teach in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

“Met the Highest Standard” means achieved the highest grade or score awarded by the institution.

“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”.

An applicant for an Initial License who meets the requirements for an Initial License and who also meets the criteria set forth by the Mid Atlantic Regional Teachers Project shall have a Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation affixed to the Initial License, upon receipt of a recommendation from the candidate’s teacher preparation program that the candidate be awarded the designation of Meritorious New Teacher Candidate.

3.1 Criteria for the Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation are:

3.1.1 Verbal Skills

3.1.1.1 Scores in the upper quartile of students nationally at the time the test was taken on the verbal portion of the SAT, ACT, or GRE.

3.1.2 Content Knowledge

3.1.2.1 Elementary Education (Grades pre K to 6):

3.1.2.1.1 A minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in an undergraduate professional education program, or a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA in a graduate professional education program; and

3.1.2.1.2 Scores in the upper quartile of students nationally at the time the test was taken in math, science, social studies, and English language arts in the PRAXIS II Content Knowledge for Elementary Teachers test or Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment test.

3.1.2.2 Middle School Education (Grades 6 to 8):

3.1.2.2.1 A minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in an undergraduate academic major or a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA in a graduate program in the subject area in which a standard certificate is sought; and

3.1.2.2.2 Scores in the upper quartile of students nationally at the time the test was taken on the PRAXIS II test in the applicant’s specialty area.

3.1.2.3 Secondary Education (Grades 9 to 12):

3.1.2.3.1 A minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in an undergraduate academic major or a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA in a graduate program in the subject area in which a standard certificate is sought.

3.1.2.3.2 Scores in the upper quartile of students nationally at the time the test was taken on the PRAXIS II test in the applicant’s specialty area.

3.1.3 Professional Preparation and Recommendation:

3.1.3.1 Completion of a state approved teacher preparation program, of traditional or alternative format, with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in an undergraduate professional studies program, or a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA in a graduate professional education program.

3.1.3.2 Completion of a minimum of 400 hours of supervised clinical experience, of which at least 300 hours are directed instructional student teaching. Clinical experience may occur within any state approved model, including total immersion experiences as teachers of record.

3.1.3.3 Met the highest standard of both the university supervisor and the cooperating teacher on the institution’s formal student teacher or immersion component of the required clinical experience.

3.1.3.4 Met the highest standard on the institution’s professional preparation assessment.

3.1.3.5 Received a recommendation by the teacher preparation program that the candidate be awarded the designation of Meritorious New Teacher Candidate.

Applicants for initial licensure and the Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation who completed teacher preparation in Delaware will be given expedited consideration of their application by the Delaware Department of Education.

A Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation issued to a licensee from one of the participating jurisdictions who has less than three (3) years of teaching experience, shall be honored by the Department. The applicant shall be issued a Delaware Initial License pursuant to 14 DE Admin. Code §1510 with a Meritorious New Teacher Candidate Designation and any Delaware Standard Certificate for which the candidate qualifies.