• Specialist Certification

  • Applying for Delaware licensure and certification is a two-step process, in that you must hold both a License and at least one Certificate.  The License authorizes you to work in a Delaware public/charter school, and the Certificate(s) identifies the area(s) in which you are authorized to teach.

    License Overview

    Delaware defines "License" as a credential that authorizes the holder to engage in the practice for which the license is issued.  A Delaware educator holds only one license; however, the license type depends on experience as outlined below.

    • Initial License: If you are a brand new educator or have more than one year but less than four years of licensed teaching experience, you should apply for an Initial License.
    • Continuing License: If you have over four years of licensed teaching experience, you should apply for a Continuing License.
    • Advanced License: If you have received National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, you should apply for an Advanced License.

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  • Certificate Overview

    A Delaware educator can hold multiple certificates to certify their education in a specific area of expertise. The certificate types are detailed below.

    • Standard Certificate: Delaware defines "Standard Certificate" as a credential issued to certify that an educator has the prescribed knowledge, skill or education to practice in a particular area to teach a particular subject, or to teach a category of students.  Find your certification area by reviewing Delaware's list of Standard Certificates. The Professional Standards Board promulgates the regulations governing certification.
    • Emergency Certificate: Delaware defines “Emergency Certificate” as a temporary credential issued to an educator who has obtained employment or an offer of employment with an employing authority and holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License, but lacks the necessary skills and knowledge to immediately meet certification requirements in a specific content area.
    • Certificate of Eligibility: Delaware defines "Certificate of Eligibility" (COE) as a credential issued to an educator who is participating in a state-approved, appropriate, alternative route to licensure and certification program for teachers of students with disabilities and holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License.  

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  • DEEDS Application Process Steps

    1. Log in to your DEEDS account via the EdAccess login page.
    2. Apply for the appropriate License and Certificate(s) for the content area you want to teach.
    3. Have a credit card (not a debit card) at hand. There will be a one-time $100 application fee, which is reimbursable upon employment in a Delaware public or charter school when the educator is fully licensed and certified.
    4. Request to send all official documentation:
      • All official transcripts.
      • Test Scores (Praxis, ACTFL.) - if applicable (not required for reciprocity applications)
      • Proof of student teaching, if not on your transcript.
      • Copy of your out-of-state credential, if applicable.
      • Verification of Experience (Form E or Form E/NT), if applicable (for out-of-state reciprocity applicants)
    5. Upon receipt of all documentation, DDOE Staff will review the application and documentation.
    6. DDOE staff will update your application status within DEEDS. You can monitor the application progress by clicking the "View My Applications" button on the DEEDS Educator Dashboard. Each application is shown with progress banners to indicate where the application is within the review and approval process.
    7. If additional documentation is needed to process your application, then a red "Respond to Deficiency" button will appear on the DEEDS Educator Dashboard. You will need to respond to the deficiency from within the DEEDS application, providing whatever additional information is requested in order for the application process to continue. This is the communication between DDOE and the applicant during the application process.
    8. You may apply for employment while your License and Certificate(s) are pending. Districts and charter schools will have access to your application information via DEEDS.


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  • Elementary School Counselor Documentation Requirements

    The following items must be sent. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Official transcript(s) - Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
    • Education Requirements – must meet one of the selections below:
      • Master’s degree in Elementary School Counseling from a NCATE or CAEP educator preparation unit or from a state approved educator preparation program, where the state approval body employed the appropriate national specialty organization standards, offered by a regionally accredited college or university
      • Master’s degree in any content area from a regionally accredited college or university and satisfactory completion of thirty-nine (39) credits of graduate course work or the equivalent in professional development as approved by the Department in the areas of:
        • Introduction to School Counseling & Theories (3 credits)
        • Human Behavior and Child Development (3 credits)
        • Ethical Issues in School Counseling (3 credits)
        • College & Career Readiness K-12 (3 credits)
        • Testing, Measurements, and Research in School Counseling (3 credits)
        • The Counselor as Consultant (3 credits)
        • Special Education Law & the School Counselor’s Role (3 credits)
        • Group Counseling (3 credits)
        • Individual Counseling Skills & Strategies (6 credits)
        • Family Counseling (3 credits)
        • Principles and Practices of a School Counseling Program (6 Credits)
    • Form C (Verification of School Counseling Clinical Experience)
      • Educators not holding a Standard Certificate Secondary School Counselor must complete a supervised school counseling clinical experience under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Elementary School Counselor of 700 hours in an elementary school setting which is part of a graduate degree program in Elementary School Counseling.
      • Educators holding Standard Certificate Secondary School Counselor, who are seeking Elementary School Counselor certification, must complete 350 hours of additional clinical experience in an elementary school setting, under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Elementary School Counselor.
      • Educators seeking initial certification of both a Standard Certificate Elementary School Counselor and a Standard Certificate Secondary School Counselor simultaneously, must complete 350 hours of clinical experience in an elementary school setting under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Elementary School Counselor and 350 hours of clinical experience in a secondary school setting under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Secondary School Counselor.
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state license, if applicable.
    • Form E/NT (Verification of Non-Teaching Experience) – if you have at least four years of out-of-state elementary school counselor experience.
    • Test scores should be forwarded to the Delaware Department of Education electronically upon your request. 
      • Submit a score of 156 or higher on Praxis II Test #5421 “Professional School Counselor.”  Educational Testing Service (ETS) administers the Praxis test. Please use Reporting Code R7065.


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  • Secondary School Counselor Documentation Requirements

    The following items must be sent. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Official transcript(s) - Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
    • Education Requirements – must meet one of the selections below:
      • Master’s degree in Secondary School Counseling from a NCATE or CAEP educator preparation unit or from a state approved educator preparation program, where the state approval body employed the appropriate national specialty organization standards, offered by a regionally accredited college or university
      • Master’s degree in any content area from a regionally accredited college or university and satisfactory completion of thirty-nine (39) credits of graduate course work or the equivalent in professional development as approved by the Department in the areas of:
        • Introduction to School Counseling & Theories (3 credits)
        • Human Behavior and Child Development (3 credits)
        • Ethical Issues in School Counseling (3 credits)
        • College & Career Readiness K-12 (3 credits)
        • Testing, Measurements, and Research in School Counseling (3 credits)
        • The Counselor as Consultant (3 credits)
        • Special Education Law & the School Counselor’s Role (3 credits)
        • Group Counseling (3 credits)
        • Individual Counseling Skills & Strategies (6 credits)
        • Family Counseling (3 credits)
        • Principles and Practices of a School Counseling Program (6 Credits)
    • Form C (Verification of School Counseling Clinical Experience)
      • Educators not holding a Standard Certificate Elementary School Counselor must complete a supervised school counseling clinical experience under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Secondary School Counselor of 700 hours in an secondary school setting which is part of a graduate degree program in Secondary School Counseling.
      • Educators holding Standard Certificate Secondary School Counselor, who are seeking Elementary School Counselor certification, must complete 350 hours of additional clinical experience in an elementary school setting, under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Elementary School Counselor.
      • Educators seeking initial certification of both a Standard Certificate Elementary School Counselor and a Standard Certificate Secondary School Counselor simultaneously, must complete 350 hours of clinical experience in an elementary school setting under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Elementary School Counselor and 350 hours of clinical experience in a secondary school setting under the direct supervision of a State Department of Education certified Secondary School Counselor.
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state license, if applicable.
    • Form E/NT (Verification of Non-Teaching Experience) – if you have at least four years of out-of-state secondary school counselor experience.
    • Test scores should be forwarded to the Delaware Department of Education electronically upon your request. 
      • Submit a score of 156 or higher on Praxis II Test #5421 “Professional School Counselor.”  Educational Testing Service (ETS) administers the Praxis test. Please use Reporting Code R7065.


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  • School Library Media Specialist Documentation Requirements

    The following items must be sent. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Official transcript(s) - Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
    • Education Requirements – must meet one of the selections below:
      • Complete a Masters or Doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university in an American Library Association approved program in School Library Media.
      • Complete a program in School Library Media approved by the Department, which meets American Library Association (ALA) Standards. The University of Delaware College of Education & Human Development offers certification options. Please contact Sue Gooden for more information.
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state license, if applicable.
    • Form E (Verification of Teaching Experience) – if you have at least one year of out-of-state teaching experience.

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  • School Reading Specialist Documentation Requirements

    The following items must be sent. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Official transcript(s) - Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
    • Education Requirements – must meet one of the selections below:
      • Master’s degree in Reading from a regionally accredited college or university offered by an NCATE/CAEP-specialty organization recognized educator preparation program or from a state-approved educator preparation program that used NCATE standards.
      • Bachelor’s degree and (30) graduate level credits or Master’s degree in any content area and complete (24) graduate level credits in the areas listed below:
        • Assessment and Instruction in Writing (3 graduate credits)
        • Assessment and Instruction in Reading (6 graduate credits)
        • Practicum in Reading to include application of strategies in assessment, instruction and parent involvement (6 graduate credits)
        • Literacy in the Content Areas (3 graduate credits)
        • Teaching English as a Second Language (3 graduate credits)
        • And one of the areas below:
          • Literacy Acquisition (3 graduate credits)
          • Coaching Adult Learners (3 graduate credits)
      • NOTE - If you are pursuing the (30) credit option and want ideas for the remaining 6 credits, these courses have been accepted in the past:
        • Language Development (3 graduate credits)
        • Emergent Literacy (3 graduate credits)
        • Children's and/or Adolescent Literature (3 graduate credits)
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state license, if applicable.
      • Delaware does not consider Certificates of Eligibility or Endorsements reciprocal.
    • Form E (Verification of Teaching Experience) – if you have over one year of out-of-state teaching experience.
      • This certification requires a minimum of three (3) years verified teaching experience under a valid in-state or out-of-state teaching license.
    • Test scores should be forwarded to the Delaware Department of Education electronically upon your request.
      • Submit a score of 164 or higher on Praxis II 'Reading Specialist' Test #5301. Educational Testing Services (ETS) administers the Praxis test. Please use Reporting Code 7065.


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  • School Psychologist Documentation Requirements

    The following items must be sent. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Official transcript(s) - Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
    • Education/Internship and/or Certification Requirements – must meet one of the selections below:
      • NASP or APA School Psychology Degree: Successfully complete a program of study in “School Psychology” offered by a regionally accredited college or university and approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) or the American Psychological Association (APA), culminating in a Masters with an additional Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree or a Doctoral degree in School Psychology AND successfully complete a supervised internship.
        • An internship must be in an institution or agency approved by the Department or the applicant’s graduate program.
      • Hold a valid and current Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) Certificate from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
      • Hold a valid and current license or certificate from another State Department of Education in “School Psychology.”
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state license, if applicable.


    NOTE: An Emergency Certificate for a School Psychologist is not available.

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  • School Social Worker Documentation Requirements

    The following items must be sent. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Official transcript(s) - Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of a Master’s Degree.
    • Education Requirements – must meet the following requirement:
      • Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from a regionally accredited college or university.
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state license, if applicable.
    • Form E/NT (Verification of Non-Teaching Experience) – must meet the requirements below:
      • Two (2) years of successful full-time work experience as a social worker.

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  • Documentation Guidelines for Submission

    All documents, with the exception of copies of out-of-state and/or national certificates (if applicable), must be official, meaning that they must be sent directly from the appropriate third party (e.g., the college/university, testing organization, former employer, independent credentialing agency) to the Department electronically to deeds@doe.k12.de.us, or forwarded unopened, by mail to the Department by the candidate.  Applicants submitting test scores should be sure to review the Testing Guidelines for test-specific submission procedures.

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Last Modified on July 19, 2022