DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Professional Standards Board
FINAL
ORDER
1549 Dance Teacher
I. SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SUBMITTED
Pursuant to 14 Del.C. §§1203 and 1205(b), the Professional Standards Board, acting in consultation and cooperation with the Delaware Department of Education ("Department"), developed amendments to 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher. The regulation concerns the requirements for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate in accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220. The proposed amendments include adding and striking defined terms in Section 2.0; clarifying the requirements for issuing a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate in Section 3.0; specifying the education, knowledge, and skill requirements for obtaining a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate in Section 4.0; specifying the application requirements in Section 5.0; adding Section 6.0, which concerns requests for the Secretary of Education to review standard certificate applications; adding Section 7.0, which concerns the validity of a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate; adding Section 8.0, which concerns disciplinary actions; adding Section 9.0, which concerns recognizing past certificates that were issued by the Department; and adding Section 10.0, which concerns applicants' and Educators' contact information with the Department and specifies how they can change their name or address.
Notice of the proposed regulation was published in the Register of Regulations on February 1, 2022. The Professional Standards Board did not receive any written submittals concerning the proposed amendments.
II. FINDINGS OF FACTS
On April 7, 2022, the Professional Standards Board voted to propose 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, for adoption by the Department subject to the State Board of Education's approval.
The Department finds that the proposed amendments to the regulation are necessary to implement 14 Del.C. Ch. 12 and are designed to improve the quality of the Delaware educator workforce and to improve student performance. Accordingly, the Department finds that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher.
III. DECISION TO AMEND THE REGULATION
For the foregoing reasons, the Department concludes that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher subject to the State Board of Education's approval. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §§1203 and 1205(b), 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher, attached hereto as Exhibit A, is hereby amended.
IV. TEXT AND CITATION
The text of 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher adopted hereby shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 1549 Dance Teacher in the Administrative Code of Regulations for the Department.
V. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ORDER
The effective date of this Order shall be ten days from the date this Order is published in the Register of Regulations.
IT IS SO ORDERED the 2nd day of May, 2022.
Department of Education
Mark A. Holodick, Ed.D., Secretary of Education
Approved this 2nd day of May, 2022.
State Board of Education
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/s/ Whitney Townsend Sweeney, President |
Audrey J. Noble, Ph.D. (absent) |
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/s/ Shawn Brittingham, Vice President |
/s/ Provey Powell, Jr. |
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/s/ Candice Fifer |
Wali W. Rushdan, II (absent) |
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/s/ Vincent Lofink |
*Please Note: Electronic signatures ("/s/") were accepted pursuant to 6 Del.C. §12A-107(d).
1549 Dance Teacher
1.1 This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a), for Dance Teacher. This certification Standard Certificate is required for grades 9 K to12, and is valid in grades 5 to 8 in a Middle Level school in Delaware public schools.
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.
2.2 The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
“Approved Accrediting Agency” means a National, Regional, or Specialized Accrediting agency or association that appears on the list of recognized accrediting agencies published by the United States Secretary of Education or any other accrediting agency the Delaware Secretary of Education, deems within his or her discretion, to be reliable or be equivalent to those on the published list.
“Accredited institution” means an institution that has received accreditation from an approved accrediting agency.
"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.
"License" means a credential which authorizes the holder to engage in the practice for which the license is issued.
"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.
"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 as an educator 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 as an educator in another state or jurisdiction and is in good standing in that state or jurisdiction. It does not include temporary, emergency, conditional certificates of eligibility or expired certificates or licenses issued from another state or jurisdiction.
3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a), the Department shall issue a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate as a Dance Teacher to an educator applicant who has met the following:
3.1.1 Holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License; License, or a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued by the Department prior to August 31, 2003; and, 2003 and meets the requirements set forth in Section 4.0 of this regulation; or
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, Has met the requirements for an educator's license in Delaware and presents proof of a Valid and Current License or Certificate as a dance teacher issued by another state or jurisdiction.
3.1.3 Has satisfied the additional requirements in this regulation.
3.2 Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, the Department shall not act on an application for a Dance Teacher 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.
4.1 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:
4.2 If the educator is applying for their second Standard Certificate pursuant to 14 DE Admin. Code 1505 Standard Certificate 3.1.5;
4.2.1 Has satisfactorily completed fifteen (15) credits or their equivalent in professional development related to Dance, selected by the applicant with the approval of the employing school district or charter school which is submitted to the Department; or
4.2.2 Has obtained certification in Dance from an accredited institution.
4.1 For an applicant who does not hold a content area Standard Certificate, the applicant shall have satisfied one of the following education requirements:
4.1.1 Earned and currently maintain accreditation as Registered Dance Educator through the National Dance Education Organization; or
4.1.2 Earned a bachelor's degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university with a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework in dance from an educator preparation program approved or recognized by 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 dance as provided in 14 Del.C. §§1260 - 1266; or
4.1.4 Satisfactorily completed a Department-approved educator preparation program in dance education; or
4.1.5 If the applicant is applying for an Initial License after the applicant completed a minimum of 91 days of successful long-term substitute teaching in a Delaware public school as provided in subsection 4.1.3.1 of 14 DE Admin. Code 1510, earned a bachelor's degree from a Regionally Accredited college or university in any content area and also satisfactorily completed 15 college credits related to dance education of which at least six credits focus on pedagogy or an equivalent number of hours in professional development 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.
4.1.5.1 The applicant, in consultation with the applicant's Employing Authority, shall select the 15 credits or the equivalent number of hours in professional development subject to the Department's approval.
4.1.5.2 If the applicant does not have an Employing Authority or is applying for a Standard Certificate outside of the applicant's current spectrum of employment, the applicant shall select the 15 credits or the equivalent number of hours in professional development in consultation with the Department and subject to the Department's approval.
4.1.5.3 For the purpose of subsection 4.1.5, professional development means a combination of focused, in-depth learning, practice, feedback, reflection, and expert support experiences designed to change the participants' attitudes, insights, and perspectives and ultimately results in improved professional practice.
4.1.5.4 Professional development hours may be approved if the applicant shows that the activity meets all of the following criteria:
4.1.5.4.1 Relevant courses from a Regionally Accredited college or university in dance are not available to the applicant online or in the applicant's county of residence; and
4.1.5.4.2 The activity is grounded in research and current best practices as judged by the Department's content specialist in dance; and
4.1.5.4.3 The activity is documented by the provider to provide knowledge and skills that are required for the dance certification; and
4.1.5.4.4 The activity is part of a professional development program that includes knowledge acquisition, skill mastery, descriptive feedback, and refinement of practice in the work setting.
4.1.6 Earned and currently maintain a Certificate in Dance Instruction from the National Dance Education Organization.
4.2 For an applicant who holds at least one content area Standard Certificate, the applicant shall have satisfied one of the following education requirements:
4.2.1 Satisfactorily completed 15 college credits related to dance education of which at least six credits focus on pedagogy or an equivalent number of hours in professional development 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 as provided in subsection 4.1.5; or
4.2.2 Earned and currently maintain a Certificate in Dance Instruction from the National Dance Education Organization; or
4.2.3 Completed the equivalent of subsection 4.2.1 or subsection 4.2.2 in professional experience; or
4.2.4 Achieved a minimum score of 80 points on the Dance Entry Level Teacher's Assessment (DELTA).
5.1 If an applicant is applying for an Initial License, a Standard Certificate must be applied for simultaneously with an application for the Initial License, and the applicant shall also provide all required documentation for the License.
5.2 An applicant must disclose the applicant's criminal conviction history upon application for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate. Failure to disclose a criminal conviction history is grounds for denial of a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate as specified in 14 Del.C. §1219.
5.3 For an applicant who does not hold a content area Standard Certificate, the following documentation is required with the application for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate:
5.3.1 Evidence of earning and currently maintaining accreditation as Registered Dance Educator through the National Dance Education Organization, if applicable; and
5.3.2 Official transcript from the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university.
5.3.2.1 Electronic transcripts may be submitted by the Employing Authority or by the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university; or
5.3.2.2 Sealed paper transcripts may be submitted.
5.3.2.3 The Department will not accept copies of transcripts; and
5.3.3 Documents verifying successful completion of Department-approved professional development, if applicable; and
5.3.4 Evidence of earning and currently maintaining a Certificate in Dance Instruction from the National Dance Education Organization, if applicable;
5.3.5 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
5.4 For an applicant who holds at least one content area Standard Certificate, the following documentation is required in the application for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate:
5.4.1 Official transcript from the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university, if applicable.
5.4.1.1 Electronic transcripts may be submitted by the Employing Authority or by the applicant's Regionally Accredited college or university; or
5.4.1.2 Sealed paper transcripts may be submitted.
5.4.1.3 The Department will not accept copies of transcripts; and
5.4.2 Documents verifying successful completion of Department-approved professional development, if applicable; and
5.4.3 Evidence of earning and currently maintaining a Certificate in Dance Instruction from the National Dance Education Organization, if applicable; and
5.4.4 Evidence of completing the equivalent of subsection 4.2.1 or subsection 4.2.2 in professional experience, if applicable; and
5.4.5 Official score on the Dance Entry Level Teacher's Assessment (DELTA), if applicable; and
5.4.6 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
5.5 For applicants who have met the requirements for licensure as an educator in Delaware and hold a Valid and Current License or Certificate as a dance teacher from another state or jurisdiction, the following documentation is required in the application for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate:
5.5.1 An official copy of the Valid and Current License or Certificate; and
5.5.2 Additional documentation as required by the Department.
6.1 The Secretary of Education may, upon the written request of a local school district or charter school, review credentials submitted in an application for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate on an individual basis and grant such a Standard Certificate to an applicant who otherwise does not meet the requirements for a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate but whose effectiveness is documented by the local school district or charter school.
6.1.1 For school districts, requests shall be approved by the superintendent of the school district.
6.1.2 For charter schools, requests concerning the head of school of the charter school shall be approved by the charter school's board of directors and requests concerning all other applicants shall be approved by the charter school's head of school.
7.1 A Dance Teacher Standard Certificate is valid regardless of the assignment or employment status of the holder provided that the Educator's License remains current and valid.
7.2 A Dance Teacher Standard Certificate is not subject to renewal.
8.1 An Educator's Dance Teacher Standard Certificate may be revoked, suspended, or limited for cause as provided in 14 DE Admin. Code 1514 Limitation, Suspension, and Revocation of Licenses, Certificates, and Permits.
8.2 An Educator's Dance Teacher Standard Certificate shall be revoked if the Educator's Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License or Standard or Professional Status Certificate is revoked or the Educator made a materially false or misleading statement in the Educator's application in accordance with 14 Del.C. §1222.
8.3 An Educator whose certificate is noticed for disciplinary action is entitled to a full and fair hearing before the Standards Board. Hearings shall be conducted in accordance with 14 DE Admin. Code 1515 Hearing Procedures and Rules.
The Department shall recognize a Dance Teacher Standard Certificate issued by the Department prior to effective date of this regulation. An Educator holding such a Standard Certificate shall be considered certified to teach dance.
10.1 All applicants and Educators are required to update their contact information in DEEDS if their contact information changes.
10.2 An Educator who legally changes the Educator's name and wishes to change the name on the Dance Teacher Standard Certificate shall provide a notarized copy of evidence of the name change such as a marriage license or court action.
10.3 An applicant or Educator whose mailing address, email address, or phone number changes shall provide the Department with the new mailing address, email address, or phone number within 14 calendar days of the change.
