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Educator Accountability (teachers, specialists and paraprofessionals )

Last updated October 27, 2007

Licensure deadline extended till November 27

If your license expires October 31 or November 30, 2007 and you are afraid you have missed the October 31 deadline for submitting your 90 clock hours, DON'T PANIC. You have until November 27.
One of things DEEDS now does is an automatic sweep of all files on the 28th of each month. As long as you have completed all the steps for relicensure by then, your license will be renewed.
We strongly suggest that if you are not quite done, that you get it all completed before Thanksgiving, which is November 21, so there is no question about meeting the deadline. See below for an update on a new final step required for relicensure: affirming that you have no criminal background. Again, you have until November 27 to complete that step as well.

Everything you need to know about:
Relicensure as a teacher/specialist
Compensation
Delaware Professional Standards Board
To see the Delaware Code related to Educator licensing, certification, evaluation and professional development, click here.

DEEDS web site for teachers, specialists and instructional paraprofessionals established by the Department of Education to provide an online certification/qualification depository.
Click here for a summary of ESEA, the No Child Left Behind Act.
DPAS II information and updates

Documents available:
Paras: what you need to know about being Highly Qualified
All Paras in Delaware are now issued a PERMIT to allow you to keep track of and recognize your professional development accomplishments.
Click here for information about how the so-called No Child Left Behind Act affects Title I paras.

Request for Review/Extension of your certification requirements (posted 5/14/03)
90 clock-hour activity documentation form (needed for teacher/specialist recertification)
Just what are the Delaware Professional Teaching Standards ? (June 03)
Click here for a primer on ESEA of 2001 (No Child Left Behind Act), including a flow chart to determine if you are a "highly qualified" teacher
List of approved Skills and Knowledge salary supplement clusters

How teachers are still to be evaluated today - known as DPAS-I - the Delaware Performance Appraisal System

Deadline of October 31, 2007 can be extended with extenuating circumstances
There is a new provision in the regulation that states: "A continuing license may be extended upon showing of exigent circumstances, for a period not to exceed one year."

We hope that you won't need this further extension since you now have until November 21, 2007 but if you do, such an extension will only be valid until the end of the 07-08 school year. If you have not successfully completed the process by then, your teaching license will expire and your district may terminate your contract.

If you believe your situation fulfills "unanticipated circumstances or circumstances beyond the educator's control," promptly notify your Human Resources Dept. They must concur and allow you to complete the process. Should you receive an extention, the effective date of your new license will still be December 1, 2007. Any professional development hours you enter during your extension may not be used toward your new license, which will expire on November 30, 2012.

After you finish logging your clock hours for relicensure, there is one more step.

DSEA and the district personnel directors were recently informed that the relicensure regulations require that you also affirm that you have no criminal record.

In order for you to affirm your criminal history before your license is renewed, the following must be true:
1. You must have a current and valid active (versus inactive) license that has not been replaced by another license.
2. Your professional growth must be set to complete: Mentoring (if applicable) must be through the evaluation stage 90 clock hours must be both verified and finalized by your district
3. Your license must be less than 90 days from expiration.
4. You must be affirming for the first time within your license's validity (In other words, you only get to affirm your license once.)
If the above conditions are all true, then DEEDS will show you a link called "Renew my License/Permit" on your profile underneath the phrase, "What can I do today?" When you click on "Renew My License/Permit" you will see a screen that is similar to this:

Have you been convicted of a criminal offense (excluding moving violations) during the validity period of your license/permit?

Yes
No

You must be careful to take action to click "No" if that is the case. By submitting this information, you affirm that it is true and complete, and you acknowledge that there are potential penalties for providing false or incomplete information, including denial of a license, revocation, and criminal prosecution.

Once you have done all this, you are finished and your license should be renewed. This deadline is the same as the deadline for the submission of your 90 clock hours.

More about those final steps

Once you submit your paperwork, your district will go into DEEDS and verify that it has accepted everything. At this point you can see what is verified by clicking on "Input/Print Clock Hour Activities." The district at any time can approve the 90 clock hours. When they do this, you will not be able to add in any more information. That is the clue that everything has been received and accepted. Once the license is "Ready to be Renewed," DEEDS will automatically update it when it expires. DEEDS will not update a license before the old one expires. So for those of you whose license expires 11/30/07, you will not see the continuing license until after 12/1/07.

DoE will be checking the first batch of licenses by hand, so it is likely you will not get your printed license until after the first of the year. However, you will be able to view it online immediately upon renewal.

More about relicensure

If you have a license from the state not issued by the Department of Education - such as a speech pathologist - then the following recertification requirments do not apply to you. You have your own professional recertification requirements.
School nurses can use the professional development taken to keep certified as Registered Nurses to satisfy their DoE recertification requirements.

What's the difference between a license and a certificate?
Your license is the basic credential that authorizes an educator to practice. A certificate is an additional credential that specifies in what areas an educator is qualified to practice.
Your Continuing License is good for five years and requires that you accumulate 90 clock hours of professional development every five years to renew it.
As for newly hired educators, they will receive a three-year Initial License which requires successful mentoring and evaluation in order for them to receive a Continuing License after those first three years.
Educators who hold a certificate from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards are eligible for an Advanced License which is good for ten years.

These new regulations were approved by the State Board of Education in August 2002.
The folks whose certificates expired on June 30, 2001 or June 30, 2002, at the time the new regulations were approved, were issued a Continuing License for five years. If you fall in this category, you have until July 1 of 2007 to meet the new recertification requirements of 90 clock hours (NOT credit hours) of professional development. You should begin submitting those hours now. And, for those in the 2001 and 2002 category, you may use hours accumulated after those dates: You do not have to submit only hours accumulated after you received your letter and new license from DoE.

What the regs say is that the 90 clock hours must be completed during the five year term of the license.
At least one-half of the required hours for educators must be in activities that relate to the educator's work with students or staff. All activities must relate to the Delaware Professional Teaching Standards or Delaware Administrator Standards.

How/where do I submit proof of my 90 clock hours?
1. Keep a folder and make sure you have a completed, signed activity documentation form or other proof for each activity.

2. You must also record your hours on your DEEDS (Delaware Educator Data System) profile. To do that, first register on that site by clicking here: DEEDS . Then click on "Retrieve password" at the right of the screen and fill in the requested information. Once you get the cumbersome system-generated password, you will be able to change it to something easier to remember.
You will also see "Clock Hours (Continuing Licensees)" under "Maintaining Your Credential" on the right side of the screen. If you click there and then log in, you can access "Input/Print Clock Hour Activities." Here's where you record your activities.
DEEDS will update the lists of completed activities and total the hours.
The system will not record more than 90 clock hours for a renewal. And no, extra hours cannot be carried over to your next renewal.

3. When you have completed and recorded 90 clock hours, print-out of that record and then have your signature notarized.

4. Submit that signed, notarized print-out to your Personnel Office with the paper records (activity documentation forms, certificates, letters, grade reports, a product - whatever your activity results in) no later than 30 days prior to the expiration date of your five years.
We strongly suggest you make a copy of those original paper records before you submit them since they are the proof.

5. Your district personnel will verify that your documentation matches your record of hours and then will submit your signed application to the Dept. of Education. DoE will then issue you a Continuing License valid for the next five years.... and you start earning an additional 90 clock hours of professional development during that time.

Sounds like lots of record keeping.
It is. As with all record keeping, we strongly advise that you keep up with it. Keep your own records and evidence of completion of your activities. Don't count on the provider or your district to do that. They probably won't.

Will the DEEDS system email me before my license expires?
Yes, this system will automatically e-mail you 24 and 12 months before your continuing license is set to expire so that you have time to accumulate any remaining clock hours that you need.

When using DEEDS, is there a way to tell who has looked at my information?
No. Only the people who currently has access to certification records - the district personnel officer and the DoE certification staff - will have passwords to get to your records. The public cannot see your detailed records, althugh the public will be able to search another section of DEEDS by your name and see what license and certification(s) you hold. This is now required by federal law (ESEA).

How can I earn the 90 clock hours? What qualifies?
You may select from a variety of professional development options. There are 15 ways to accumulate the 90 clock hours:
college credit; clusters and skills & knowledge; professional conference or workshop; mentoring; being a cooperating teacher/intern supervisor; making a presentation; an educational project; curriculum/assessment development; educational travel; professional programs or committees; peer coaching; publishing; professional portfolio (parameters yet to be developed); NBPTS certification; and/or formal study groups.

Re-Licensure Options and Specifications for Teachers/Specialists/Administrators

OPTION	MAX. HOURS	HOUR VALUE	VERIFICATION	CRITERIA
College Credit	No limit	1 semester hour = 15 clock hours. 1 quarter hr./CEU = 10 clock hours.	Official Transcripts. Original Grade Slips. Original Certificate of Completion for CEUs.	Must be completed at a regionally accredited college. Must be taken for credit with grade of "C" or better or a "P" in pass/fail course.
Clusters of skills & knowledge. Planned school Prof. Dev. Day if activities are part of Approved Cluster	No limit No limit	Verified clock hours in completion of cluster activities. Vertified clock hours Actively involved in prof. development activities	Approval Slip or Form Verifying Completion. Certification of attendance provided by school district or school sponsoring the professional development.	Cluster must be prior-approved by Professional Development & Associated Compensation Committee, the Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education Must focus on district or school-identified curriculum, instruction, assessment, school climate, or other need identified in district or school improvement plan.
Professional Conference/ Workshop/ Institute or Academy	30 clock hours per year 45 clock hours per cycle	Verified clock hours actively involved in workshop or conference sessions	Original Certificate of Attendance or Completion OR Letter from Supervisor/Conference Staff. Copies/ Exhibits of products developed by Applicant. Course Attendance Slip	Must include only time spent in those portions of the workshop or conference program that contribute to the participant's knowledge, competence, performance, or effectiveness in education. Includes workshops offered by districts or other employing authorities either as part of professional development day or after school hours.
Mentoring	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours involved in mentoring activities	Activity Documentation Form. (No prior approval required)	Must be mentoring of teacher, administrator, or specialist. Must be part of a formal state/local program.
Cooperating Teacher/ Intern Supervisor	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours involved in support of student teacher or intern	Activity Documentation Form completed by higher education director of field-based clinical studies. (No prior approval required)	Must be supervision of graduate or undergraduate intern or student teacher in a state-approved educator preparation program.
Presentation	10 per 3 clock hour course; 30 per longer course; 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours preparing and presenting	Activity Documentation Form* (Prior approval required)	Must include only actual time preparing and presenting a course, workshop, or presentation. (Clock hours limited to first preparation and presentation of individual course, workshop, or presentation.)
Educational Project	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours completing project. Minimum of 15 clock hours	Activity Documentation Form* (Prior approval required)	Project must have been prior approved by the Professional Development & Associated Compensation Committee. Must have obtained final approval after completion and verification by PDAC
Curriculum/ Assessment Development	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours of service; Minimum of 3 clock hours	Original documentation from committee chair verifying actual clock hours of participation	Must be service on formal committee organized by local, state, national, or international education agency or organization.
Educational Travel	3 per day 30 per cycle	Verified clock hours of experience. Minimum of 15 clock hours per travel activity. Final Project.	Activity Documentation Form* (Prior approval required)	Must be prior approved by Professional Development & Associated Compensation Committee . Must have obtained final approval after completion and verification by PDAC.
Professional Programs/ Committees	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours of service or experience.	Original documentation from committee chair or activity leader verifying actual clock hours of participation.	Must be a formal activity provided through a recognized local, state, national, or international education agency or organization
Peer Coaching	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours of service or experience.	Activity Documentation Form. (No prior approval required)	Must be part of a formal program.
Publication	30 per year 45 per cycle	30 clock hours for book. Up to 15 clock hours per other publication.	Copy of Publication or Document.	Must contribute to the education profession or add to the body of knowledge in the individual's specific field. Must be commercially published or a formally approved document or formally published in a medium sanctioned by a recognized state or national agency or organization. If a grant, must be approved for funding.
Professional Portfolio (to be developed by Professional Standards Board).	30 per year 45 per cycle	45 clock hours for completed and approved portfolio.	The Completed/Approved Portfolio.	Must satisfy the standards established for teaching portfolios. Must be submitted to DOE by December 31 of the final year of the certificate for assessment and approval.
NBPTS Certification or similar National Certification	30 per year 45 per cycle	45 clock hours for attaining national certification Not complete: verified clock hours completing portfolio activities.	A Valid Copy of the National Certificate. For candidate not completing certificate --- Activity Documentation Form. (No prior approval required)	Holds a certificate indicated by NBPTS as related to an individuals work or assignment. Certificate or participation as a candidate must be completed and verified by the expiration date of the Delaware certificate.
Formal Study Groups	30 per year 45 per cycle	Verified clock hours working as a member of a study group.	Activity Documentation Form and The Product of the Study.* (Prior approval required)	Must relate to the individuals work or assignment. Must include a product.

How do I document the hours?
To be documented for clock hours, activities must meet the criteria set forth in the regulations and must be appropriately verified and applied for. Activities requiring prior approval must be approved by the educator's immediate superivisor. Professional development activities that are part of DPAS II (Delaware Performance Appraisal System II) training, when it is implemented statewide which could be in 2007-08, may be used to satisfy this requirement.

How do I know if the hours I chose will be approved? What do I need to submit for approval of the 90 hours?
1. The activity enhances the knowledge and skills in your job or contributes to your school or profession.
2. The activity meets one of the relicensure options.
3. The activity addresses one of the standards for the educator's area of the profession.
4. The activity is completed during the term of the educator's current continuing license.
5. The activity addresses specific Professional Teaching or Administrator Standards.
6. Participation in, or completion of, the activity can be documented.

The Re-Licensure Application, Activity Documentation Form , and, where required, original or official documents are to be used to verify activities for renewal of a continuing license. Official transcripts or original grade slips are required documentation for successful completion of college courses.

If you change positions (grade levels, content areas, areas of supervisory responsibility, etc.) during the five-year term of your continuing license, clock hours documented must have been appropriate to your position at the time the clock hours were completed.

Is there are official DoE form to document activities?
There is an acceptable form on the DEEDS web site. The supervisor of each activity is responsible for providing documentation for participants. Acceptable examples include a certificate, a letter, an agenda or program including the supervisor's name as a presenter. DSEA's form, which you can copy here, is acceptable.

When prior approval is needed, who gives the approval?
Your immediate supervisor (principal in most cases), or the supervisor of the activity. The exact process might vary from district to district.

What about National Board certification? Isn't that certificate good for ten years in Delaware?
Yes. You are eligible for a ten-year license if you have received a National Board certification.
Send an approved application form to the Dept. of Education with your verification of national board certification.
If you provide evidence of renewal from the National Board, your certification will be renewed for another ten years. Again, an application and evidence must be submitted to the Dept. of Education.
You may take a leave of absence up to three years with no effect upon the validity or expiration of this license.
You must disclose any criminal conviction history upon application.

If you do not intend to renew your national board license, then you need to accumulate 90 clock hours before the Advanced License expires, and you would then return to a Continuing License.

Can the credits I earn for recertification also be used for another purpose, such as additional salary?
Yes. And graduate level credits which are part of a matriculated program may be used for salary advancement as well as recertification. And clock hours earned as part of a Skills & Knowledge cluster for additional salary may also be used towards your 90 clock hours.

What happens to my current certificates under this system?
ALL of your current certificates will be listed on your Continuing License. All are valid, even if they are not currently active. And, refresher coursework is no longer required to keep them active, just the 90 clock hours of professional development every five years.

I received a letter from DoE saying that my certificate has expired and my five years have begun. I thought I still had several years before my certificate expires!?
The Department of Education is looking at all of your certificates to find the one which expires first. That is the one which determines when your five year cycle begins.... even if you're not teaching under that particular certificate.

Can I have one of my certificates NOT listed if, for example, I no longer want to teach in that area?
No, not unless you want to do it permanently. This is not advised since if you ever want it back, you will need to meet the most recent requirement for that area of certification. At this time, there is no official procedure at DoE to enable a deletion to happen.

Does Association work count?
In some cases, yes. One of the 15 categories is Professional Programs/Committees. It must be a formal activity provided through a recognized loal, state, national or international education agency or organization. You may earn up to 30 hours per year and up to 45 hours per five-year cycle for such activity.
So, if you are a member of your local or DSEA Executive Board; a member of a working committee or Task Force, you may ask your Association to verify your hours. DoE has said officially that:
DSEA and local Association work counts if it meets the criteria outline in the Guidelines and is Professional Development.

Will hours of professional development during district professional development days during the school year count for relicensure?How about Teacher-to-Teacher Cadre, Reading Cadre and similar groups' professional development during the school year?
Yes, if the activities meet the criteria outlined in the Guidelines and they are documented.

I'm not sure when my certificate expires. How do I find out?
Check your personal or personnel records for the expiration date of your active certificate, as well as any additional certificates you have.

Compensation

The Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education accept proposals from organizations and companies desiring to offer clusters.To see the list of approved Skills and Knowledge salary supplement clusters, click here .
The extra salary supplements for completing a Skills and Knowledge cluster is designed - in theory - to help offset the use of inservice credit - which no longer qualifies - for base salary increases.

Currently, qualified lead mentors receive $1,500 and mentors receive $750.
National Board-certified teachers received 12% of their state salary for the duration of their certification.
Effecitve in 2004-05, speech and hearing specialists who have achieved national certification receive a 6% salary increase.
Other nationally-certified specialists receive a 2% salary increase.

Effective 2004-05, the 15% cap on salary earned from clusters and responsibility supplements is waived for teachers with National Board Certification who also work as mentors or lead mentors.

Your current degree	Your options for earning salary supplements
If you have a bachelor's degree...	* Matriculated graduate credits earned toward a master's degree * Professional Development Cluster * Responsibility supplement, such as new teacher mentoring
If you have a master's degree...	* Graduate-level course of study NOTE: May include undergraduate courses if the courses are in a specific content area and do not include pedagogy. * Matriculated graduate credits earned toward a second master's degree * Matriculated graduate credits earned toward a doctorate degree * Professional Development Cluster * Responsibility supplement, such as new teacher mentoring
If you have a doctorate degree...	* Professional Development Cluster * Responsibility supplement, such as new teacher mentoring

Does an advanced online degree qualify for salary credit in Delaware?
There is nothing in Delaware law which prevents you from getting salary credit for an advanced degree which you earned online or through some form of distance learning. The only stipulation is that it be approved by your district and be from an accredited institution. In fact, according to DoE staff, when the paperwork for your degree arrives at DoE, there is normally no indication how the degree credits were earned.

Professional Standards Board
Who is on the Professional Standards Board?
You can find the list of people (the plurality of whom are teachers); their email addresses; when and where the PBS meets; what the agenda is for their upcoming meeting, and more - at their web site. Their meetings are open to the public and they welcome your opinions on matters relating to teacher and administrator licensing, recertification, induction, mentoring, evaluation and on-going professional development.

They must report quarterly to the Governor, the State Board of Education and the General Assembly about their work. Their scope has been limited to licensure, certification and professional development. DoE now has regulatory authority for teacher retention, recruitment, preparation as well as evaluation.

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