Become a Teacher in Delaware
DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Collette Education Resource Center
35 Commerce Way, Suite 1
Dover, DE 19904
302-857-3388
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Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Delaware
Important Note: Education licensure requirements, statistics and other information are subject to change. Teach.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. (Last update: 04/26/2020)
All states require that prospective teachers have at least a Bachelor’s degree and complete a state-approved teacher preparation program to receive certification. Some states also have specific course and credit-hour requirements.
Teacher education programs generally consist of two elements—curricula and fieldwork. Curricula generally include instruction on teaching fundamental skills, pedagogy (the science of teaching) and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. Fieldwork often includes field observations, internships, student teaching or a combination of all three.
Check with your teacher preparation program or the Department of
for more information about specific requirements. Delaware does not list specific course or credit hour requirements, but every college or university teacher preparation program will have requirements of its own.
Contact your teacher preparation program or the Department of Education for more information. Delaware does allow 91 days of substitute teaching in lieu of completing a formal student teaching program.
Teacher certification programs can be taken online or on-site. They typically include an educational theory and classroom skills seminar and a fieldwork component of student teaching in the area.
Delaware requires a passing score on the Praxis I Math, Reading and Writing exams and the Praxis II: Subject Test in your subject area to earn a Standard Certificate.
You can learn more about the Praxis exams by visiting Teach.coms' Ultimate Guide to the Praxis Exams and read more about teacher certification tests on Teach.com.
Initial Teaching Certifications
To attain a Delaware teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Delaware issues an Initial License (valid for 3 years), a Continuing License after 3 years of successful teaching experience (renewable every 5 years), and an Advanced License (renewable every 5 years) for teachers who have received National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. Delaware also issues Standard Certificates to teach a particular category, level or subject area.
Visit the Delaware Department of Education to learn more about earning your teaching credential in Delaware or read more about getting your teaching credential on Teach.com.
Higher Education Teaching Certificate
The Higher Education Teaching Certificate online short course aims to give you the opportunity to engage deeply with and reflect on your teaching practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education (HE) field. Loosely based on the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and in association with HarvardX, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the focus areas of pedagogy, course and assessment design, professional communication, language and culture of the classroom, and reflections on teaching – entirely online, from anywhere in the world.
Alternative Certification in Delaware
The Delaware Department of Education sponsors the Alternative Routes to Certification (ARTC) program, which allows teachers to complete their teaching certification while teaching in schools with a shortage of certified teachers. Delaware also has the Delaware Transition to Teaching Partnership (DT3P) for career changers or college graduates with non-education majors who are willing to teach in a high-needs area while working on their certification.
See the full range of alternative certification opportunities at the Delaware Department of Education website.
Delaware Teacher Certification Information & Links
Transferring Your Certification
Certification Reciprocity in Delaware
Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in Delaware, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page.
For more specific questions about your situation, contact the Delaware Department of Education.
Career Advancement
Professional Development for Delaware Teachers
The mission of Delaware’s Professional Development Program is to promote excellence in both the educators and the students. Every 5 years, a teacher in Delaware must complete 90 hours of Professional Development credits, as well as whatever requirements the school district requires. Teachers holding an Initial license must undergo at least one year of mentoring. Learn more about Delaware’s professional development opportunities on the Delaware Department Education website.
Benefits of a Master's Degree in Delaware
It is no longer enough to just have years of experience for teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A master's degree in the field of education can give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor.
After a Master’s program, you may be able to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay. Even with no extra experience, a Master’s degree is valued to be worth at least an additional $3,900 per year over a Bachelor’s, according to the job website Join Delaware Schools.
Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.
Higher Education Teaching Certificate
The Higher Education Teaching Certificate online short course aims to give you the opportunity to engage deeply with and reflect on your teaching practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education (HE) field. Loosely based on the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and in association with HarvardX, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the focus areas of pedagogy, course and assessment design, professional communication, language and culture of the classroom, and reflections on teaching – entirely online, from anywhere in the world.
Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in Delaware
Delaware Teaching Jobs
Candidates for Delaware teaching jobs can visit Join Delaware Schools. Beside job listings, this site provides information about schools and districts. Read more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.
Delaware Teacher Salary and Incentives
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average teacher in Delaware makes $64,000 to $67,000 per year as of 2019, depending on grade level taught. Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.
Delaware Teacher Benefits and Retirement
Teachers become vested in the state retirement system after at least 5 years of service. Although Delaware does not have a teacher retirement system, there is a retirement system for all public employees. Delaware's Pension Plan for Public Employees is explained in detail on the organization's website. School districts elect the remainder of the benefits such as health care plans and vacation days.
Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.
Delaware Teacher Shortage Areas
The United States Department of Education defines a Teacher Shortage Area (TSA) as a subject matter or grade level within a state in which there is an inadequate supply of elementary or secondary teachers. The shortage may be caused by teaching positions that are unfilled or are filled by teachers who have temporary certification or teach in in academic subject other than their area of preparation. According to a report by the US Department of Education, Delaware has the following Teacher Shortage Areas:
- Career and Technical Educational
- English as a Second Language
- Language Arts
- Foreign Language
- Library Specialist
- Mathematics
- Nurses
- Science
- Special Education
- Visual Impairment
Financial Aid in Delaware
Delaware residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship, as well as the TEACH Grant, which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.
Learn more about how to finance your Master's degree on Teach.com.
Information last updated: May 2020