Alternative Teaching Certification in Delaware
Delaware’s Alternative Routes to Certification (ARTC) program lets career changers with a bachelor’s degree teach and earn a salary while completing licensure requirements. Candidates typically need a set number of content-area credits, must be hired by a Delaware public or charter school before enrolling, and complete coursework through an approved provider such as the University of Delaware or Relay Graduate School of Education. Candidates generally teach under the temporary credential designated by the Delaware Department of Education for their pathway (such as an Emergency Certificate or another qualifying credential, when applicable) while they finish coursework, mentoring, and required Praxis Subject Assessments.
Sponsored School(s)
Delaware’s alternative routes exist because the state has ongoing shortages in several teaching areas, and the Delaware Department of Education wants qualified career changers in classrooms sooner rather than later. Instead of returning to school full time before teaching, ARTC candidates take a job first and complete their coursework, mentoring, and licensing exams while already working as the teacher of record.
Use the links below to jump to eligibility rules, coursework requirements, exam information, and background check steps for Delaware’s alternative certification path.
- Delaware’s alternative route programs
- Who qualifies for alternative certification
- Coursework and clinical requirements
- Certification exams
- Classroom experience and evaluation
- Background check requirements
- How to apply
Delaware’s Alternative Route Programs
Delaware’s Alternative Routes to Certification (ARTC) programs operate under 14 DE Admin. Code 291, which governs how these programs are approved, reviewed, and renewed by the state. Rather than one single statewide program, ARTC candidates choose from several state-approved providers, each tied to a different set of endorsement areas:
- The University of Delaware’s ARTC program, which covers a range of secondary and critical-needs subject areas
- Relay Graduate School of Education’s Delaware ARTC and Teaching Residency tracks, which pair certification with a Master of Arts in Teaching
- Delaware State University’s ARTC program
- The Delaware Transition to Teaching Partnership (DT3P), a federally funded pathway for high-need subject areas
- The Masters Plus Certification Program (MPCP), designed for paraeducators already working in Delaware schools who want to move into special education
The list of approved providers and the specific endorsement areas each one covers changes from year to year. The Delaware Department of Education publishes an updated ARTC programs flyer each school year, and that document, not this page, is the authoritative source for which providers are currently approved and which subjects they cover.
Prior to enrollment in an Alternative Routes for Teacher Licensure and Certification Program, most providers expect candidates to meet baseline degree and content-area requirements. Once accepted, candidates typically complete pre-service coursework covering school organization, classroom management, and instructional strategies, followed by ongoing coursework and mentoring during their first year or two in the classroom.
Who Qualifies for Alternative Certification
Eligibility rules vary somewhat by program provider, but most Delaware ARTC pathways share a common baseline. Candidates generally need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, along with a minimum number of credit hours in the subject area they want to teach. Several providers also look for a minimum undergraduate GPA, and most require candidates to already have a job offer or teaching position secured with a Delaware public or charter school before they enroll, since ARTC is built around learning on the job rather than preparing before employment.
Because exact credit-hour thresholds and GPA minimums differ by provider and can change between school years, confirm current eligibility criteria directly with the program you’re applying to, or with the Delaware Department of Education’s ARTC office, before assuming you meet the requirements.
Interested in the traditional approach instead? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Delaware. Already licensed in another state? Check Delaware’s teacher certification reciprocity rules before assuming you need an alternative route at all.
Coursework and Clinical Requirements
Once accepted into an ARTC program, candidates complete a defined block of pre-service orientation before taking over a classroom, covering topics like school policies, classroom management, and instructional strategies. From there, most programs layer in graduate-level coursework and structured mentoring throughout the first year or two of teaching, culminating in either a certification-only outcome or, for programs like Relay’s, a Master of Arts in Teaching alongside certification.
Exact clock-hour and course-count requirements are set by each individual program provider rather than by a single statewide standard, so they’re best confirmed directly with your chosen program rather than assumed from a generic figure. What stays consistent across providers is the underlying structure: front-loaded orientation before you start teaching, then ongoing coursework and mentoring while you’re already in the classroom.
Certification Exams
Candidates must meet the Delaware Department of Education’s current testing requirements for their license and endorsement area, which typically include the applicable Praxis Subject Assessment(s). Additional testing, if required, depends on the specific license, endorsement, and current state policy. Exemption policies and score cutoffs are set by the state and can change, so confirm current requirements through the official Delaware Praxis requirements page rather than assuming they match a prior year.
Your program provider will tell you which specific Praxis Subject Assessments apply to your endorsement area and by when you need to pass them, since timing requirements can differ from one ARTC pathway to another.
Classroom Experience and Evaluation
No prior classroom teaching experience is required to enter an ARTC program. Once you begin teaching under the temporary credential designated for your pathway (such as an Emergency Certificate or another qualifying credential, when applicable), you’ll complete the evaluation and program completion requirements established by your approved provider, employing school, and the Delaware Department of Education.
Successful completion allows eligible candidates to apply for the appropriate Delaware educator license and standard certificate, subject to current Department of Education requirements. Once you hold that certificate, you’ll need to know how renewing your Delaware teaching certificate works before it expires.
Criminal History and Background Check
Before working with children in Delaware schools, alternative certification candidates must clear a Delaware Child Abuse Registry check and submit fingerprints for a state and federal criminal history background check. Because these clearances can take several weeks to process, start the process as early as possible once you’ve accepted a position.
Fees, submission forms, and office locations for background checks change from year to year, so confirm current requirements directly with the Delaware State Bureau of Identification or your school district’s HR office rather than relying on a fixed fee amount or address.
How to Apply
To start the ARTC process, first secure a teaching offer from a Delaware public or charter school, then confirm your eligibility with one of the state-approved program providers, such as the University of Delaware, Relay Graduate School of Education, or Delaware State University. From there, your chosen program will walk you through enrollment, the Delaware Department of Education’s EdAccess licensure system, and the specific coursework and exam timeline for your endorsement area.
For the full, current list of approved alternative route sponsors, contact the Delaware Department of Education’s ARTC office.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is alternative teacher certification in Delaware?
Alternative certification, known in Delaware as the Alternative Routes to Certification (ARTC) program, lets people who already hold a bachelor’s degree start teaching in a Delaware public or charter school while completing licensure coursework, mentoring, and exams. It’s designed for career changers who don’t have a traditional education degree but want to move into the classroom sooner.
Who qualifies for Delaware’s Alternative Routes to Certification program?
Most ARTC providers require a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a minimum number of credit hours in the subject you want to teach, and in many cases a job offer from a Delaware school secured before you enroll. Specific GPA and credit-hour thresholds vary by provider, so confirm current eligibility rules with your chosen program.
Do I need to pass the Praxis exam for alternative certification in Delaware?
Most candidates do. You’ll need to meet the Delaware Department of Education’s current testing requirements for your license and endorsement area, which typically include the applicable Praxis Subject Assessment(s). Your program provider will confirm exactly which tests apply to you and the deadline for passing them.
How long does it take to complete an alternative certification program in Delaware?
Timelines vary by provider and endorsement area, but most ARTC candidates complete certification requirements over one to two years while working as the teacher of record. Programs that combine certification with a master’s degree, such as Relay’s Teaching Residency track, generally follow a similar multi-year timeline.
What’s the difference between an Emergency Certificate and a Certificate of Eligibility?
Both are temporary credentials that let you teach while completing an alternative route, but they apply to slightly different situations. An Emergency Certificate typically covers a candidate who has an offer of employment but hasn’t yet met every requirement for a standard certificate, while a Certificate of Eligibility is issued specifically to candidates working through an approved alternative route to licensure. Your program provider can confirm which credential applies to your specific situation.
- ARTC is Delaware’s main alternative pathway — candidates teach under the temporary credential designated for their pathway while completing coursework through an approved provider like the University of Delaware or Relay Graduate School of Education.
- A job offer usually comes before enrollment — most providers expect candidates to already have a teaching position secured with a Delaware school before starting the program.
- Praxis Subject Assessments are required — candidates must pass the assessment tied to their specific endorsement area, with exact requirements confirmed through their program and the state.
- Approved providers change year to year — the Delaware Department of Education’s ARTC flyer, not any single third-party page, is the authoritative source for current providers and endorsement areas.
- Background checks take time — fingerprinting and a state and federal criminal history check are required before working with students, so start the process as early as possible.
Find accredited teacher certification programs in Delaware, including alternative route options, application requirements, and licensing timelines for your path.
