DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Professional Standards Board

PROPOSED

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

1559 Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher

A. TYPE OF REGULATORY ACTION REQUESTED

Amendment to 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 amend regulation 14 DE Admin. Code 1559 Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher. The regulation concerns the requirements for certification of educational personnel, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a). This Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher regulation is being amended to expand the definition of Career and Technical Education programs and to help create opportunities for all students to pursue a career and college readiness instructional program. This regulation sets forth the requirements for a Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher.

Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on Friday, October 30, 2015 to Mr. Chris Kenton, 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 amended regulation help improve student achievement as measured against state achievement standards? The amended 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 amended regulation help ensure that all students receive an equitable education? The amended 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 amended regulation help to ensure that all students' health and safety are adequately protected? The amended regulation addresses educator certification, not students’ health and safety.

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

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

6. Will the amended regulation place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels? The amended 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 amended 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 amended 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 amended 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.

1559 Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher

1.1 This regulation shall apply to the issuance of a Standard Certificate, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1220(a) for Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher in a Sspecific Ccareer Aarea. This certification is required for grades 9 to 12, and for grades 6 to 8 in a Middle Level school. Certificates issued are in the specific career area. A general Skilled and Technical Sciences certification does not exist. and qualified eEducators may become certified for more than one specific career area by meeting the qualifications for each area, however no general Skilled and Technical Sciences certification exists.

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:

“Career and Technical Education” is also known as Vocational Education, Vocational Technical Education or Career Technical Education.

“HVAC” means Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning.

“Nine (9) Career-Related Credits” means nine (9) college credits or an equivalent number of hours in professional development, technical training or certification, with one (1) credit equating to fifteen (15) hours taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it, from a regionally accredited college or university, or a professional development provider approved by the employing school district or charter school. These credits may also be earned through a certified or licensed technical training provider or through specified technical training or verification of the equivalent knowledge and training by technical certification as specified in the Department’s current Skilled and Technical Sciences Standards in the Specific Career Area Program Certification Requirements (See 14 DE. Admin Code 525 Requirements for Career and Technical Education Programs).

“Six (6) Career and Technical Education Pedagogy Credits” means six (6) college credits taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it, from a regionally accredited college or university. from the following content areas:

“Skilled and Technical Sciences (STS)” is also known as Trade and Industrial Education, Career and Technical Education, Career Technical Education or Career-Technical Education.

“Specific Career Area” means a specific career area approved by the Department as a Career Technical Education Program and as defined in the Skilled and Technical Sciences Certification Inventory or included in the Department’s Skilled and Technical Sciences Standards. Examples include but are not limited to the following: Automotive/Automotive Mechanical Technology/Technician; Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician; Carpentry/Carpenter; Child Care Provider/Assistant; Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General; Dental Laboratory Technology/Technician; Electrician; HVAC-R Maintenance Technology; Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training; Mason/Masonry; Medical/Clinical Assistant; Nurse/Nursing Assistant and Patient Care Assistant; Plumbing Technology/Plumber; Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking; and Welding Technology/Welder.

“Specific Career Area Program Certification Requirements” means educator requirements necessary to achieve Department approval of the Career Technical Education program. (See 14 DE Admin. Code 525 Requirements for Career and Technical Education Programs).

“Teacher of Trade and Industries” means a Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher.

“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; (110) an industry recognized certification of technical competence or journeyperson status in the specific career area, or (121) DOE approved equivalents of any one of the above including but not limited to equivalents from any combination of the above options.

“Vocational Trade and Industry Area” means Skilled and Technical Sciences Area.

“Work Experience” means full time employment or work training experience in the specific Skilled and Technical Sciences career area of certification. An educator may substitute an Associate’s degree in the specific Skilled and Technical Sciences career area of certification for a maximum of one (1) year of work experience or a Bachelor’s degree in the specific Skilled and Technical Sciences career area of certification for a maximum of two (2) years of work experience. The educator may only substitute one degree for a maximum of two years work experience credit and may not use two Associates degrees to equal two years of work experience.

3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1220(a) the Department shall issue a Standard Certificate as a Skilled and Technical Sciences Teacher of a specific career area to an educator who has met the following:

3.1.1 Holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License; or a Limited Standard or Standard Certificate issued by the Department prior to August 31, 2003; and

3.1.2 Has met the requirements as set forth in 14 DE Admin. Code 1505 Standard Certificate, with the exception of the requirement of a Bachelor’s degree in 3.1.5, including any subsequent amendment or revision thereto; and

3.1.3 Has satisfied the additional requirements in this regulation including holding a Bachelor’s degree or the completion of education and training equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree as specified in this regulation.

An educator shall also have met the following:

4.1 Satisfactorily completed nine (9) Career-Related Credits related to their area of certification and six (6) Career and Technical Education Pedagogy credits; and

4.2 Bachelor’s Degree:

Holds a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in any content area; or the equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree as specified in subsection 4.3.

4.3 Equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree:

Acquired the knowledge and training equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree by meeting one of the following:

4.3.1 Associate’s Degree and additional education:

Holds an Associate’s degree in any content area and has met the following criteria:

4.3.1.1 Satisfactorily completed nine (9) college credits in non-duplicated courses taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it from a regionally accredited college or university in the following content areas: Holds an Associate’s degree in any content area and has met the additional education requirements in 4.3.1.2.

4.3.1.1.1 Career and Technical Education Pedagogy (6 credits); and

4.3.1.1.2 Special Education (3 credits); and

4.3.1.2 Satisfactorily completed twelve (12) twenty-one (21) college credits or their equivalent in professional development or technical training in non-duplicated courses taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it from a regionally accredited college or university or from a technical training or professional development provider in any combination of the following content areas with at least one (1) course in each of the required content areas:

4.3.1.2.1 Career and Technical Education Pedagogy (required)

4.3.1.2.2 Education Pedagogy Special Education (required)

4.3.1.2.3 Educational Psychology

4.3.1.2.4 Special Education Education Pedagogy

4.3.1.2.5 Science

4.3.1.2.6 Mathematics

4.3.1.2.7 English

4.3.1.2.8 Computer Literacy Social Studies; or

4.3.1.2.9 Social Studies; or

4.3.1.2.10 Education in the specific career area of certification including specifications listed in the Department’s specific career area program certification requirements; or;

4.3.2 Two Years of College or Technical Training and additional education:

Satisfactorily completed Two Years of College or Technical Training and has met the following criteria:

4.3.2.1 Satisfactorily completed Two Years of College or Technical Training and the additional education requirements in 4.3.1.1 and 4.3.1.2 and 4.3.2.2; and.

4.3.2.2 Satisfactorily completed fifteen (15) college credits in non-duplicated courses taken either as part of a degree program or in addition to it from a regionally accredited college or university, with at least one (1) course in each of the following required content areas:

4.3.2.2.1 Science (3 credits)

4.3.2.2.2 Mathematics (3 credits)

4.3.2.2.3 English (3 credits)

4.3.2.2.4 Psychology (3 credits).

4.3.2.2.5 Computer Literacy (3 credits).

An educator shall also have met the following:

5.1 Acquired a minimum of six (6) years of work experience in an area related to the Skilled and Technical Sciences specific career area, two (2) of which must be within the last five (5) years, in the Skilled and Technical Sciences Specific Career Area of Certification; or

5.2 Acquired a minimum of six (6) years of work experience by teaching in or direct supervision of educators in an area related to the Skilled and Technical Sciences specific career area, of certification within any time period and maintained current experience by full-time teaching in or direct supervision of the specific career area of certification for a minimum, of two (2) years of which must be within the last five (5) years.

An educator shall also have met the following:

6.1 In skilled or technical sciences occupations where a state license or registration is required by law, all applicants for Skilled and Technical Sciences certification, with the exception of the areas listed in 6.2, shall present a valid and current Delaware license or registration upon application for a Standard Certificate; and teaching credentials,

6.2 Applicants for Skilled and Technical Sciences certification in the career areas of Electrician, Plumber or HVAC shall present a valid and current Delaware license as part of completing certification requirements, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1210(f) Ch. 12; and

6.32 The state license or registration shall be renewed as required by law.