Delaware Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

Who Licenses Teachers in Delaware, and Which Exams Does It Use?

Delaware licenses teachers through Delaware Department of Education, Licensure and Certification, and the exams it requires are the Praxis tests from ETS.

For the programs themselves, the online master's in education programs at universities in Delaware are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

How Do I Get a Delaware Teaching License With an Online Master's?

A Delaware teaching license comes in three tiers, and an online master's does not move you between them: the department's reciprocity summary gives the Initial License to educators with under four years of verified credentialed experience, the Continuing License to those with four or more, and the Advanced License to National Board Certified Teachers.

A new educator qualifies for the Initial License under Regulation 1510 with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college, an application for at least one content area Standard Certificate, and a student teaching program or a listed alternative such as 91 days of long-term substitute teaching. Our elementary education and secondary education rankings do not record whether a program supplies student teaching.

Which Exams Does Delaware Require for Teacher Licensure?

Delaware requires Praxis exams for teacher licensure: ETS says candidates pass the Praxis Subject Assessments for each area of certification they seek, where a test exists for that area. The department's summary adds that Praxis II is required for most certificates, and that you ask ETS to send official scores to the department under reporting code R7065.

Certificates in world languages that rely on ACTFL tests take those scores from Language Testing International instead. Ask the department which test pairs with your certificate area before you register.

Can I Transfer a Teaching License to Delaware From Another State?

A license from another state can carry over to Delaware as a comparable license, because the department issues one to anyone holding a full and current license or certificate from another U.S. state, including the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Certificates of Eligibility, intern and conditional certificates, substitute and private school licenses, and endorsements are not accepted.

An accepted credential may still leave work to do. The same summary says you may still need student teaching on an official transcript, that Praxis II is required for most certificates, and that some applications need teaching experience verified on Form E. Under Regulation 1510, someone licensed elsewhere with under four years of experience lands on the Initial License. The 2020 comparison by the Education Commission of the States recorded no full reciprocity and extra assessments for some teachers, which fits the Praxis II line.

Does NC-SARA Membership Cover Teacher Licensure for Delaware Online Master's Students?

NC-SARA membership covers a school's authority to enroll Delaware residents online, not teacher licensure for Delaware online master's students, because SARA does not address professional licensing board approval for fields such as teacher education. Delaware was approved in September 2016, and the Department of Education alone decides who is licensed.

Disclosure is what SARA does require: a participating school must say whether its program meets licensure requirements where you live. The department also accepts transcripts only from regionally accredited colleges and universities.

What Should I Ask an Online Program Before Enrolling From Delaware?

Before enrolling from Delaware, an online program that markets licensure preparation has to put Delaware's status in writing. 34 CFR 668.43 has it publish the states where it found the curriculum does and does not meet requirements, and a student in a state with a gap, or one never examined, must hear that before starting.

Delaware's own checks follow: does the coursework count toward a content area Standard Certificate, does it include student teaching or leave you to find a 91-day substitute placement, which Praxis II test does it prepare you for, and is a leadership program CAEP-accredited?

Which License Do Delaware Principals and School Counselors Need?

The credentials Delaware principals and school counselors need are Standard Certificates, and both regulations lean on graduate study. Regulation 1591 asks a principal for four years of educator experience, a master's or doctorate with 30 semester hours of leadership coursework from a CAEP-accredited program or an approved alternative, and a score of 151 on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment.

The secondary school counselor certificate offers four education routes, among them a master's with 30 semester hours in secondary counseling from a CACREP-approved or recognized program, or a master's in any subject plus 39 listed graduate credits. It also asks for 700 supervised hours in grades 6 to 12 and a Praxis score of 156 on the Professional School Counselor test or 159 on the School Counselor test. Compare an online master's in educational leadership or school counseling against those lines.