• Career & Technical Education 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.
    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.
    4. Request to send all official documentation:
      • All official transcripts.
      • Test Scores (Praxis, ACTFL.)
      • Proof of student teaching, if not on your transcript.
    5. Upon receipt of all documentation, DDOE Staff will review the application and documentation.
    6. DDOE staff will update your application status.  You will receive an email indicating:
      • If you met certification requirements; or
      • If you did not meet certification requirements you will be notified of the documents that are still needed.
    7. 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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  • CTE Certification Requirements

    CTE and STS certificates are issued to educators employed in Delaware public schools with specific CTE pathways approved by the Delaware Department of Education, Career & Technical Education Office. The approved CTE pathway defines experience, education, and certification requirements. CTE and STS certification requirements are specific to approved programs of study and are correlated to an approved program of study code, both of which are available in the "CTE teacher certification guidelines" document found on the CTE Educator Resources page. The certification document also includes a definition of related work experience for each career area and professional licensure or certification requirements. Specific certification(s) for each CTE program of study are provided in column G of the CTE teacher certification requirements document.

  • CTE vs STS Hiring Practices

    The hiring entity is responsible for choosing the appropriate certification under which it will hire and can make this decision based on the certification requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the hiring entity’s budget. An STS certificate is valid in the program for which it is issued. A CTE certificate may be valid in multiple programs.  See CTE Certification Requirements section above, for program certification requirements.

    To search the State Approved CTE Programs of Study and Courses, please visit the Career Technical Education CIP Report Page.

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  • Career & Technical Education Documentation Requirements

    Career & Technical Teachers:

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

    • Official Transcript(s) – minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree.
    • Student Teaching on an official transcript.
    • Copy of current and valid out-of-state teaching license, if applicable.
    • Form E (Verification of Teaching Experience) - if you have one or more years of out-of-state teaching experience while holding a valid teaching license.
    • Test scores should be forwarded to the Delaware Department of Education electronically upon your request. Visit the Testing Guidelines page for more information.

    Skilled & Technical Sciences Teachers:

    The following items must be sent, if relevant and applicable. Documentation requirements align to the STS Candidate – Licensure/Certification Checklist as it will be helpful in providing the applicant with a list of requirements towards certification completion and in guiding the applicant through the documentation requirements. This form will be completed by either the HR department or the Delaware Department of Education once all requirement documents are received. To ensure speedy processing, please ensure that you follow the documentation guidelines for submission.

    • Professional and Occupational License(s)
      • State license or registration certificate if required by law.
      • Candidate should note the following: In occupations where a state license or registration is required by law, all applicants for Skilled and Technical Sciences certification shall present a valid and current Delaware license or registration upon application for teaching credentials and must be renewed as required by law.
    • Educational Requirements – Part #1 (refer to STS Education Requirements for clarification.)
      • Copies of all professional, occupational, and/or instructor licenses – Delaware or out-of-state; preferably current
      • Documents of any career-related credits or training related to the career area of certification
      • Documents of any career-related credits or training related to the career area of certification and related to the practice of teaching or instructing others
    • Educational Requirements – Part #2 (refer to STS Education Requirements for clarification.)
      • Official transcript(s) reflecting any college coursework or technical training that has been successfully completed (minimum of two years training or coursework)
    • Experience Requirements
      • Experience must be documented by using the following forms.
      • Candidate should note the following:
        • Candidate must demonstrate that they have six years of work experience in an area related to the STS career area; two of the years must be within the last five years OR
        • Candidates must demonstrate that they have six years of work experience by teaching in or direct supervision of educators in an area related to the STS career area; two of the years must be within the last five years.


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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 30, 2021