1573 Teacher of Students with Autism or Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

Delaware General Assembly : Delaware Regulations : Administrative Code : Title 14 : 1500

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1500 Professional Standards Board (Licensure, Certification and Professional Development)

1573 Teacher of Students with Autism or Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

1.0 Content

1.1 This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Teacher of Students with Autism or Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities Standard Certificate pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a).

1.1.1 This Certification is required for an Educator whose primary assignment is teaching students with Autism or Severe Intellectual Disabilities in an Approved Program or in Delaware public schools.

1.1.2 This Certification is a category Standard Certificate and does not certify an Educator to practice in a particular area or teach a particular subject. A category Standard Certificate only establishes that an educator has met the prescribed education, knowledge, or skill to instruct a particular category of students. This Certification is limited to the category of students with Autism or Severe Intellectual Disabilities.

1.1.3 An Educator shall hold at least one content area Standard Certificate.

16 DE Reg. 767 (01/01/13)

24 DE Reg. 372 (10/01/20)

2.0 Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning:

"15 Credits or the Equivalent in Professional Development" means college credits or an equivalent number of hours with one credit equating to 15 hours taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to a degree program from a Regionally Accredited college or university or a professional development provider approved by the Department. College credit means undergraduate or graduate level coursework and continuing education units (CEUs) completed at or through a Regionally Accredited college or university or other Department-approved provider.

“Approved Program” means a program encompassing or within a public school designated by the Department and the State Board of Education as a component of the Delaware Autism Program.

“Autism” shall have the same meaning as provided in 14 DE Admin. Code 922, Section 3.0 and 14 DE Admin. Code 925, subsection 6.6.

"Certification" means the issuance of a Standard Certificate, which may occur regardless of a recipient's assignment or employment status.

"Department" means the Delaware Department of Education.

"Educator" means a person licensed and certified by the State under 14 Del.C. Ch. 12 to engage in the practice of instruction, administration or other related professional support services in Delaware public schools, including charter schools, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the Professional Standards Board and approved by the State Board of Education. The term 'educator' does not include substitute teachers.

"Employing Authority" means any entity which employs educators, and includes, but is not limited to, school districts, charter schools, boards of directors, and management companies.

"Immorality" means conduct which is inconsistent with the rules and principles of morality expected of an educator and may reasonably be found to impair an educator's effectiveness by reason of the educator's unfitness or otherwise.

“Intellectual Disability” shall have the same meaning as provided in 14 DE Admin. Code 922, Section 3.0 and 14 DE Admin. Code 925, subsection 6.12.

"License" means a credential which authorizes the holder to engage in the practice for which the license is issued.

"Major or Its Equivalent" means a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework in a particular content area.

"Professional Development" means a combination of focused, in-depth learning, practice, feedback, reflection, and expert support experiences designed to change participants' attitudes, insights, and perspectives and ultimately results in improved professional practice. Effective professional development programs include ample opportunities for knowledge acquisition, skill mastery, descriptive feedback, and refinement of practice in the work setting.

"Regionally Accredited" means educational accreditation by a regional accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority concerning the quality of education offered by the institutions of higher education it accredits, including Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

“Severe Intellectual Disability” shall have the same meaning as provided in 14 DE Admin. Code 925, subsection 6.12.

"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.

"Valid and Current License or Certificate" means a current full or permanent certificate or license issued by another state or jurisdiction. This means the educator is fully credentialed by having met all of the requirements for full licensure or certification in another state or jurisdiction. It does not include temporary, emergency, conditional certificates of eligibility or expired certificates or licenses issued from another state or jurisdiction.

16 DE Reg. 767 (01/01/13)

24 DE Reg. 372 (10/01/20)

3.0 Issuance of a Standard Certificate

3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Teacher of Students with Autism or Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities Standard Certificate to an applicant who:

3.1.1 Holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License or a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued by the Department prior to August 31, 2003 and meets the requirements set forth in Section 4.0 of this regulation; or

3.1.2 Has met the requirements for licensure and holds a Valid and Current License or Certificate in teaching students with Autism or Severe Intellectual Disabilities.

3.2 Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, the Department shall not act on an application for a Teacher of Students with Autism or Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities Standard Certificate if the applicant is under official investigation by any national, state, or local authority with the power to issue educator licenses or certifications. The Department shall not act where the allegations include but are not limited to conduct such as Immorality, misconduct in office, incompetence, willful neglect of duty, disloyalty, or falsification of credentials until the applicant provides evidence of the investigation's resolution.

16 DE Reg. 767 (01/01/13)

24 DE Reg. 372 (10/01/20)

4.0 Prescribed Education, Knowledge, and Skill Requirements

4.1 An applicant shall have satisfied one of the following education requirements:

4.1.1 Obtained and currently maintain an Exceptional Needs Specialist certificate in the specialty area of Mild/Moderate Disabilities or Severe and Multiple Disabilities from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or

4.1.2 Earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university with a Major or Its Equivalent in special education with a concentration in autism and severe intellectual disabilities from an educator preparation program approved or recognized by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), or a state where the state approval body employed the appropriate standards; or

4.1.3 Satisfactorily completed an alternative routes for licensure or certification program to teach students with autism and severe intellectual disabilities as provided in 14 Del.C. §§1260 - 1266; or

4.1.4 Satisfactorily completed a Department-approved educator preparation program to teach students with autism and severe intellectual disabilities; or

4.1.5 Earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university with a Major or its Equivalent in special education and satisfactorily completed 15 Credits or the Equivalent in Professional Development with a focus in Autism and Severe Intellectual Disabilities in the following areas:

4.1.5.1 Introduction to Autism and Severe Intellectual Disabilities (three credits);

4.1.5.2 Methods of Instruction in Academic Standards and Functional Skills (three credits);

4.1.5.3 Functional Communication Training (three credits);

4.1.5.4 Applied Behavior Analysis for Educators (three credits); and

4.1.5.5 Competency-Based Practicum in Behaviorally Based Teaching Techniques (three credits); or

4.1.6 Currently hold a Special Education Teacher of Students with Disabilities Standard Certificate (14 DE Admin. Code 1571) and satisfactorily completed 15 Credits or the Equivalent in Professional Development with a focus in teaching students with Autism and Severe Intellectual Disabilities in the areas provided in subsections 4.1.5.1 through 4.1.5.5.

16 DE Reg. 767 (01/01/13)

24 DE Reg. 372 (10/01/20)

5.0 Application Requirements

5.1 If an applicant is applying for an Initial License, a Standard Certificate must be applied for simultaneously with the application for the Initial License, and the applicant shall also provide all required documentation for the License.

5.2 The following documentation is required with the application for a Teacher of Students with Autism or Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities Standard Certificate:

5.2.1 Evidence of obtaining and maintaining an Exceptional Needs Specialist certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, if applicable; and

5.2.2 Official transcript from the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university.

5.2.2.1 Electronic transcripts may be submitted by the applicant's Employing Authority or Regionally Accredited college or university; or

5.2.2.2 Sealed paper transcripts may be submitted by the applicant, the applicant's Employing Authority, or the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university.

5.2.2.3 The Department will not accept copies of transcripts; and

5.2.3 Evidence of completing the 15 Credits or the Equivalent in Professional Development as provided in subsections 4.1.5 and 4.1.6, if applicable; and

5.2.4 Additional documentation as required by the Department.