HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 315

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 1716F, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1716F. Unit for substitute teachers .

(a) The unit for substitute teachers shall be used to provide temporary teaching to pupils when the regular teacher is unavailable due to illness, leave, or other reasons.

(b)(1) During the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, high needs elementary schools, as defined by § 1726 of this title, middle school and high schools may employ all of the following:

a. One full-time substitute teacher in a school which enrolls 30 or more Division I units of pupils or 65% of a unit for schools which enroll 25 but less than 30 Division I units of pupils.

b. A second substitute teacher when the enrollment reaches 55 Division I units or 65% of a unit when enrollment reaches 50 units but less than 55 units.

(2) Any fractional units provided herein may be used to support full time substitute teacher positions district wide.

(c) Substitute teachers shall be paid from state funds for 10 months and shall be paid a starting salary equitable to a no degree step 1 in accordance with Chapter 14, Section 1305.

(d) Individuals hired under this subsection must have obtained an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited institute of higher education.

(e) A school district may elect to take a cash option for up to 30 percent of the units to which it is entitled under this section in any fiscal year. Funds must be used to support substitute teaching or reducing class size. The cash option shall provide $35,000 per unit.

(f) All individuals hired under this section are subject to the provisions of Chapter 41 of this title and to state, district, and building level professional development requirements.

(g) By May 30, 2023, the Department of Education shall develop for district and charter school use, a professional development program specifically designed for substitute teachers that at minimum includes all of the following:

(1) Implementing lesson plans.

(2) Classroom management.

(3) Student behavior, including disability awareness and behaviors that may manifest as a result of disabilities .

(4) Basic understanding of Individualized Education Plans and 504 Plans.

(h) Participation in professional development provided in subsections (f) and (g) of this section shall be used as credit towards a standard certificate.

Section 2 . Amend Chapter 12, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions

§ 1210. Tier One — Initial licensure [For application of this section, see 81 Del. Laws, c. 43, § 5].

(a) An initial license is valid for 4 years unless revoked. The Department shall issue an initial license under this section if an applicant demonstrates that the applicant received a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited 4-year college or university, has achieved a passing score on a content-readiness exam, and has either completed a student teaching program or meets any 1 of the following alternatives to student teaching:

(1) One year of teaching experience consisting of a minimum of 91 days of long-term teaching experience in 1 assignment, except that this paragraph (a)(1) does not apply to applicants seeking an initial license to teach in a core content area. For the purposes of this section, “core content area” means any subject area tested by the state assessment system, including mathematics, English/language arts, science, and social studies or 3 years of long-term teaching experience consisting of 91 days of long-term teaching experience per year in multiple assignments under § 1716F of this title . Experience in an alternative routes for teacher licensure and certification program or the Special Institute for Teacher Licensure and Certification Program may not be used to meet this alternative.

(2) The applicant is enrolled and participating in the alternative routes for teacher licensure and certification program under subchapter VI of Chapter 12 of this title.

(3) The applicant is enrolled and participating in the Special Institute for Teacher Licensure and Certification under subchapter V of Chapter 12 of this title.

(4) The applicant is applying for an initial license and certification as a specialist and completes a supervised practical experience in the specialty area equivalent to student teaching as recognized by rules and regulations promulgated and adopted under this chapter. Equivalent practical experience in the specialty area may include a supervised internship, a practicum, or clinical experience. For purposes of this section, “specialist” means an educator other than a teacher recognized by rules and regulations promulgated and adopted under this chapter who is eligible to apply for both licensure and certification from the State to engage in other related professional support services.

(b) [Repealed.]

(c) (1) If an initial licensee intends to apply for a continuing license, the licensee shall, before the expiration of that initial license, complete professional development and mentoring activities required by rules and regulations promulgated and adopted under this chapter. Such professional development and mentoring activities must include a focus on the acquisition of pedagogical knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge to meet the needs of the educator’s students.

(2) The Department shall create a committee of stakeholders, including teachers, principals, local education agency administrators, representatives of institutions of higher education, representatives of the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), representatives of the Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA), and national experts, to gather input and make recommendations on a revised Comprehensive Induction Program that focuses on reinforcing all of the following:

a. Pedagogical skills.

b. Content knowledge.

c. Cultural responsiveness.

d. Data-driven instruction.

(d) Under the rules and regulations promulgated and adopted under this chapter, the Department may issue an initial license to an applicant with less than 4 years of experience as an educator who is licensed as an educator in another jurisdiction or to an applicant who previously held a valid Delaware license that has since expired. An applicant issued an initial license under this subsection must complete all requirements under subsection (c) of this section. For purposes of this subsection, “educator” means a person licensed in another jurisdiction to engage in the practice of instruction, administration, or other related professional support services in public schools or a person who was an educator as defined in § 1202 of this title and previously held a valid Delaware license that has since expired.

(e) An initial license must not be renewed. It may, however, be extended under § 1216 of this title.

(f) Notwithstanding subsections (a), (c), and (d) of this section, an initial license may be issued for a period of up to 6 years for applicants in a vocational trade and industry ( “skilled and technical sciences” or “STS” ) area to complete specified college-level coursework required for certification.

(g) [Repealed.]

(h) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) of this section, the Department shall issue an initial license to an applicant who meets the criteria for meritorious new teacher candidate designation adopted under § 1203 of this title. The applicant issued an initial license under this subsection and who intends to apply for a continuing license must complete all requirements of subsection (c) of this section.

(i), (j) [Repealed.]

(k) The Standards Board shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement this section.

SYNOPSIS

This bill provides unit funding for full time employees who shall be hired to provide permanent substitute teaching support in Delaware schools. The bill also provides professional development requirements for those hired into these positions and creates a pathway to teaching to those individuals who meet the requirements for an emergency certificate.