Authenticated PDF VersionThis regulation shall apply to graduate level salary increments for educators, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1305(a).
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.
"Critical Needs Areas" means content, specialty, or administrative areas identified by the Department as areas of shortage in Delaware schools.
"Department" means the Delaware Department of Education.
"Graduate Level Course" means any course which is awarded graduate level credit by a regionally accredited college or university.
"Graduate Level Course of Study" means a non matriculated but focused and coherent program of study (e.g., a Certificate Program) which is directly linked to professional responsibilities.
"Matriculated Graduate Credit" means credit earned from a regionally accredited college or university earned toward a master's degree or a doctoral degree.
"Skilled and Technical Sciences (STS)" is also known as Trade and Industrial Education, Career and Technical Education, Career Technical Education or Career-Technical Education.
"Specialist Degree Program" means an organized program of study that is beyond a master's degree but below the doctoral consisting of a minimum of sixty (60) graduate semester hours [ninety (90) quarter hours] and a one (1) year supervised internship, or an equivalent program as determined by the Department. Examples of programs include a National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) approved program or an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited program including but not limited to the following: Master's of Education (MEd) with an Educational Specialist (EdS) in School Psychology or a Master's of Science in School Psychology with a Advanced Certificate or Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in School Psychology. A master's degree in school psychology may be recognized as a specialist degree program if it meets the additional credit and internship requirements and any graduate credits earned in the program and conferral of the master's degree beyond thirty (30) may be counted beyond the master's degree level.
"Trades and Industry Teacher" means a Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher, Trade and Industrial Education Teacher or Teacher of Trade and Industries.
"Two Years of College or Technical Training" means a minimum of a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and the satisfactory completion of any one of the following options in the specific career area of certification (1) an Associate's degree with a major in the specific career area; (2) two years of college majoring in the specific career area with at least 50% of the major courses required for a bachelor's degree satisfactorily completed; (3) a state issued certificate indicating completion of apprenticeship hours and apprentice related training (e.g. journey papers) in the specific career area; (4) completion of four years of sequential Delaware Trade Extension courses in the specific career area; (5) completion of four years of National Center for Construction Education and Research's Contren documented training in the specific career area; (6) a 70% or above score on both the written and performance elements of a Delaware Apprentice-related Education Provider's National Center for Construction Education and Research's Contren-derived full Apprentice Equivalency test-out covering all Apprentice-related Education years in the specific career area; (7) passage of a State of Delaware Licensing Test in the specific career area, offered through the Division of Professional Regulation; (8) 576 hours of military training in the specific career area; (9) 576 hours post-secondary trade school training in the specific career area; (10) a 70% or above score on both the written and performance teacher tests for the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute in the specific career area; (11) an industry recognized certification of technical competence or journeyperson status in the specific career area, or (12) DOE approved equivalents of any one of the above including but not limited to equivalents from any combination of the above options.
3.0 Matriculation into Master's Degree
3.3.1 Educators enrolled in a master's degree program at a regionally accredited college or university may apply for movement to the Bachelor's Plus 15 column of the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305(a), upon completion of fifteen (15) graduate credits toward a master's degree.
3.3.2 Educators enrolled in a master's degree program at a regionally accredited college or university may apply for movement to the Bachelor's Plus 30 column of the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305(a), upon completion of thirty (30) graduate credits toward a master's degree.
4.0 Post Master's Degree Course Work
4.1 Educators who hold an eligible master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university may accrue credits taken after the conferral date of their first master's degree toward salary increments toward a Master's Degree Plus 15 graduate credits, a Master's Degree Plus 30 graduate credits, a Master's Degree Plus 45 graduate credits, or a doctoral degree on the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305(a). All credits taken must be graduate level and must be:
4.1.1 Earned through a graduate level course of study clearly related to the educator's professional responsibilities and otherwise approved pursuant to 14 Del.C. Ch. 12, or
4.1.2 Earned toward a second master's degree, or
4.1.3 Matriculated graduate credits earned toward a doctoral degree.
5.0 Use of Undergraduate and Inservice Credits
5.1 Educators entitled to rightward movement on the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305(a), on the basis of inservice or undergraduate credits approved prior to July 1, 2004, shall continue to be entitled to such movement in the event of any future application for movement submitted after July 1, 2004.
6.0 Credits Expressed as Semester Hours
6.1 All credits must be expressed in terms of semester hours.
8.0 Skilled and Technical Sciences Teachers
8.3 Initial placement on the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305, for Skilled and Technical Sciences teachers who have completed two years of college or technical training and six years of work experience, is at the bachelor's degree level.
8.5.3 A bachelor's degree is equivalent to a master's degree on the basic salary schedule.
9.0 Alternate Routes to Certification Program
Graduate credits which are included in the approved Alternative Routes to Certification program, as defined in 14 Del.C. Ch. 12, subchapter VI, are recognized as a graduate level course of study and may be applied by educators who hold master's degrees and who are enrolled in the approved Alternative Routes program toward a Master's Degree Plus 15 credits, a Master's Degree Plus 30 credits, a Master's Degree Plus 45 credits or a Doctoral degree on the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305(a).
10.0 Eligibility for Graduate Level Salary Increments
10.1 Where applicable and available, an applicant for a graduate level salary increment must hold an Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License issued by the Department in accordance with 14 Del.C. Ch. 12, Subchapter III.
10.2 An educator employed on an Emergency Certificate pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1506 is eligible to receive a salary increment.
11.0 Acceptable Professional Degrees
12.1 Upon completion of the credits required for movement on the basic salary schedule for educators, set forth in 14 Del.C. §1305(a), an applicant may apply for a salary increment. No applications will be considered prior to the completion of credits necessary for movement on the salary schedule.
12.1.1 An applicant shall submit an electronic salary increment application through DEEDS.
13.0 Effective Date of Salary Adjustment
13.3 No salary increment shall be retroactive to a prior fiscal year.
