How to Become a Teacher in Delaware

The State of Delaware has a great deal to offer aspiring teachers, including plentiful jobs, alternative routes to teacher certification, and excellent starting salaries. With high standards for teachers and plentiful advanced professional opportunities, many educators are interested in how to become a teacher in Delaware.

All teachers must earn a license or certificate for teaching in Delaware. The first teacher certificate in Delaware is the Initial Teacher Certificate. There are two ways for students to earn their teacher certification in Delaware.

How to become a teacher in Delaware - initial teacher certificate, traditional route

Students can earn their first teacher certificate in Delaware, the Initial Teacher Certificate, by completing the following:

A bachelor's degree or higher from a State-approved college or university; and
Complete a State-approved teacher preparation program; and
Pass the PPST (Pre Professional Skills Test) or the Praxis I
Passing score on the Praxis II Exam (subject-specific)

How to become a teacher in DE - alternative route for residents

The Delaware Alternative Route for Residents teacher certification program represents another path of how to become a teacher in Delaware. The program requires:

Applicants must be residents of the State of Delaware
Individuals must hold college degrees in selected secondary school subjects
Individuals must complete certification requirements during the first year of teaching through a State-approved program of classes and seminars The program also involves intensive, school-based mentoring and supervision.

How to become a teacher in DE - for out-of-state teacher applicants

While Delaware has no reciprocity agreements with other States, they do offer full licensure to applicants holding current teaching licenses from any of the 50 States and Puerto Rico. Individuals holding current State licenses do not need to meet testing requirements. Applicants with outdated licenses must pass testing in Delaware; this requirement is specific to the program and certificate.

How do I become a teacher in Delaware - necessary exams for residents

Applicants for an Initial Teacher Certificate in Delaware must pass the Praxis I or the PPST tests in order to earn licensure. These exams test applicants' basic skills. Additional endorsements may be earned by passing the Praxis II. An endorsement in elementary education is required for K-6 classroom teachers.

What bachelor's degree do I need for teaching in Delaware?

There is no specific bachelor's degree required for teacher certification in Delaware. Typically, however, aspiring school teachers choose to major in education and minor in another area such as English or science. Candidates wanting to teach middle school or high school must major in the subject area they aim to teach, and often will minor in education.

What are the teacher preparation programs in Delaware?

Teacher preparation programs in Delaware consist of a combination of class work and student teaching. Education coursework includes topics such as:

Education Theory
Classroom Management
Guidance on researching, designing, and implementing teaching ideas in the classroom.
Delaware State History
Cultural Competency

The fieldwork generally includes:

Classroom Observations
Student Teaching

How do I renew my teacher certification in Delaware?

The Delaware Initial Teacher Certificate remains valid until the teacher completes three years of teaching in Delaware. The certificate may then be reissued with a five-year expiration date.

Teachers must complete continuing education courses to renew and advance their teaching license in Delaware. These credits can be earned through a State-approved teaching program or courses designed specifically for staff in a school district. As an alternative to earning clock hours, students may earn National Board Certification in their subject area.

Where do I go for more information about how to become a teacher in DE?

The following websites have additional information about candidates asking, "how do I become a teacher in Delaware?":

Delaware Office of Education

This PDF outlines all requirements and options for teacher certification in Delaware.
State of Delaware Department of Education

The Delaware Department of Education website provides extensive information on all areas of certification and employment as a teacher within the state.

Delaware Student Statistics

Number of Pre-School students: 738
Number of Kindergarten students: 9,458
Number of 1st - 12th grade students: 115,234
Total number of students in Delaware: 125,430

Delaware Teacher Statistics

Number of staff: 14,724
Number of teachers: 8,322
Average teacher salary in Delaware: $52,956

Average Teacher Salary by Grade Level

Grade Level	Average	10th percentile	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile	90th percentile
Pre-school	$23,960	$16,800	$19,130	$22,570	$26,640	$33,220
Kindergarten	$50,670	$35,280	$40,290	$47,550	$61,650	$72,880
Elementary	$50,480	$31,260	$39,550	$48,580	$62,120	$75,160
Middle school	$54,590	$36,800	$42,790	$52,130	$66,740	$79,130
High school	$57,720	$39,340	$45,660	$56,520	$69,800	$81,420

School Districts in Delaware

School District	Largest Elementary Schools	Largest Middle Schools	Largest High Schools
Academy Of Dover Charter School	Academy Of Dover Charter School 104 Saulsbury Rd Dover, DE 19904
Appoquinimink School District	Townsend Early Childhood Center 10 Brook Ramble Ln Townsend, DE 19734	Meredith (everett) Middle School 504 South Brd St Middletown, DE 19709	Appoquinimink High School 1080 Bunker Hill Rd Middletown, DE 19709
	Appoquinimink Early Childhood Center 502 South Brd St Middletown, DE 19709	Redding (louis L.)middle School 201 New St Middletown, DE 19709	Middletown High School 120 Silver Lake Rd Middletown, DE 19709
	Cedar Lane Early Childhood Center 1221 Cedar Ln Rd Middletown, DE 19709	Waters (alfred G.) Middle School 1235 Cedar Ln Rd Middletown, DE 19709
Brandywine School District	Darley Road Elementary School 500 Darley Rd Claymont, DE 19703	Talley Middle School 1110 Cypress Rd Wilmington, DE 19810	Mount Pleasant High School 5201 Washington St Extensi Wilmington, DE 19809
	Carrcroft Elementary School 503 Crest Rd Wilmington, DE 19803	Springer Middle School 2220 Shiplaceey Rd Wilmington, DE 19803	Brandywine High School 1400 Foulk Rd Wilmington, DE 19803
	Forwood Elementary School 1900 Westminster Dr Wilmington, DE 19810	Hanby Middle School 2523 Berwyn Rd Wilmington, DE 19810	Concord High School 2501 Ebright Rd Wilmington, DE 19810
Caesar Rodney School District	J. Ralph Mcilvaine Early Childhood Center 11 East Walnut Magnolia, DE 19962	Dover Air Force Base Middle School 3100 Hawthorne Dr Dover, DE 19901	Caesar Rodney High School 239 Old North Rd Camden Wyoming, DE 19934
	Major George South Welch Elementary School 3100 Hawthorne Dr Dover, DE 19901	F. Niel Postlethwait Middle School 2841 South State St Camden, DE 19934
	W. Reily Brown Elementary School 360 Webbs Ln Dover, DE 19904	Fifer (fred) Middle School 109 East Camden-wyoming Ave Camden, DE 19934
Campus Community Charter School	Campus Community School 21 North Bradford St Dover, DE 19904		Campus Community School 21 North Bradford St Dover, DE 19904
Cape Henlopen School District	H. O. Brittingham Elementary School 400 Mulberry St Milton, DE 19968	Mariner Middle School 16391 Harbeson Rd Milton, DE 19968	Cape Henlopen High School 1250 Kings Hwy Lewes, DE 19958
	Mariner Middle School 16391 Harbeson Rd Milton, DE 19968	Beacon Middle School 19483 John J. Williams Hwy Lewes, DE 19958
	Milton Elementary School 512 Federal St Milton, DE 19968	Cape Henlopen High School 1250 Kings Hwy Lewes, DE 19958
Capital School District	East Dover Elementary School 852 South Little Creek Rd Dover, DE 19901	Central Middle School 211 Delaware Ave Dover, DE 19901	Dover High School One Pat Lynn Dr Dover, DE 19904
	Fairview Elementary School 700 Walker Rd Dover, DE 19904	Dover High School One Pat Lynn Dr Dover, DE 19904
	Booker T. Washington Elementary School 901 Forest St Dover, DE 19904
Charter School Of Wilmington			Charter School Of Wilmington 100 North Dupont Rd Wilmington, DE 19807
Christina School District	Douglass School 1800 Prospect Rd Wilmington, DE 19805	Bayard Middle School 200 South Dupont St Wilmington, DE 19805	Douglass School 1800 Prospect Rd Wilmington, DE 19805
	Elbert-palmer Elementary School 1210 Lobdell St Wilmington, DE 19801	Kirk (george V.) Middle School 140 Brennen Dr Newark, DE 19713	Glasgow High School 1901 South College Ave Newark, DE 19702
	Bancroft Elementary School 700 North Lombard St Wilmington, DE 19801	Shue-medill Middle School 1500 Capitol Trail Newark, DE 19711	Christiana High School 190 Salem Church Rd Newark, DE 19713
Colonial School District	Colwyck Elementary School 12 Landers Ln New Castle, DE 19720	Mccullough (calvin R. ) Middle School 20 Chase Ave New Castle, DE 19720	Penn (william) High School 713 East Basin Rd New Castle, DE 19720
	Wilmington Manor Elementary School 200 East Roosevelt Ave New Castle, DE 19720	Read (george) Middle School 314 East Basin Rd New Castle, DE 19720
	Downie (carrie) Elementary School 1201 Delaware St New Castle, DE 19720	Bedford (gunning) Middle School 801 Cox Neck Rd New Castle, DE 19720
Delaware College Preparatory Academy	Delaware College Preparatory Academy 2916 Duncan Rd Wilimington, DE 19908
Delaware Military Academy			Delaware Military Academy 112 Middleboro Rd Wilmington, DE 19804
Delmar School District		Delmar Middle School 200 North Eighth St Delmar, DE 19940	Delmar Senior High School 200 North Eighth St Delmar, DE 19940
		Delmar Senior High School 200 North Eighth St Delmar, DE 19940
East Side Charter School	East Side Charter School 3000 North Claymont St Wilmington, DE 19802	East Side Charter School 3000 North Claymont St Wilmington, DE 19802
Edison (thomas A.) Charter School	Edison (thomas A.) Charter School 2200 North Locust St Wilmington, DE 19802	Edison (thomas A.) Charter School 2200 North Locust St Wilmington, DE 19802
Family Foundations Academy	Family Foundations Academy 1101 Delaware St New Castle, DE 19720
Indian River School District	Phillip C. Showell Elementary School 41 Bethany Rd Selbyville, DE 19975	Southern Delaware School Of The Arts 27 Hosier St Selbyville, DE 19975	Indian River High School 29772 Armory Rd Dagsboro, DE 19945
	Southern Delaware School Of The Arts 27 Hosier St Selbyville, DE 19975	Georgetown Middle School 301 West Market St Georgetown, DE 19947	Sussex Central Senior High School 26026 Patriots Way Georgetown, DE 19947
	Frankford Elementary School 30207 Frankford School Rd Frankford, DE 19945	Millsboro Middle School 302 East State St Millsboro, DE 19966
Kuumba Academy Charter School	Kuumba Academy Charter School 519 North Market St Wilmington, DE 19801
Lake Forest School District	Lake Forest East Elementary School 124 West Front St Frederica, DE 19946	Lake Forest High School 5407 Killens Pond Rd Felton, DE 19943	Lake Forest High School 5407 Killens Pond Rd Felton, DE 19943
	Lake Forest South Elementary School 301 Dorman St Harrington, DE 19952	Chipman (w.t.) Middle School 101 West Center St Harrington, DE 19952
	Lake Forest North Elementary School 319 East Main St Felton, DE 19943
Laurel School District	Laurel Intermediate School 801 South Central Ave Laurel, DE 19956	Laurel Middle School 801 South Central Ave Laurel, DE 19956	Laurel Senior High School 1133 South Central Ave Laurel, DE 19956
	Dunbar (paul Laurence) Elementary School 499 West Sixth St Laurel, DE 19956	Laurel Senior High School 1133 South Central Ave Laurel, DE 19956
	North Laurel Elementary School 300 Wilson St Laurel, DE 19956
Milford School District	Banneker (benjamin) Elementary School 449 North St Milford, DE 19963	Milford Middle School 612 Lakeview Ave Milford, DE 19963	Milford Senior High School 1019 North Walnut St Milford, DE 19963
	Ross (lulu M.) Elementary School 310 Lovers Ln Milford, DE 19963	Milford Senior High School 1019 North Walnut St Milford, DE 19963
	Morris (evelyn I.) Early Childhood 8609 Third St Lincoln, DE 19960
Mot Charter School	Mot Charter School 1156 Levels Rd Middletown, DE 19709	Mot Charter School 1156 Levels Rd Middletown, DE 19709
Moyer (maurice J.) Academy		Moyer (maurice J.) Academy 97 Vandever Ave Wilmington, DE 19899	Moyer (maurice J.) Academy 97 Vandever Ave Wilmington, DE 19899
New Castle County Votech School District
Newark Charter School	Newark Charter School 2001 Patriot Way Newark, DE 19711	Newark Charter School 2001 Patriot Way Newark, DE 19711
Odyssey Charter School	Odyssey Charter School Building 40 Wilmington, DE 19805
Pencader Business And Finance Charter High School			Pencader Business And Finance Charter High School 170 Lukens Dr New Castle, DE 19720
Polytech School District
Positive Outcomes Charter School
Prestige Academy	Prestige Academy Second Floor Wilmington, DE 19802	Prestige Academy Second Floor Wilmington, DE 19802
Providence Creek Academy Charter School	Providence Creek Academy Charter School 355 West Duck Creek Rd Clayton, DE 19938	Providence Creek Academy Charter School 355 West Duck Creek Rd Clayton, DE 19938
Red Clay Consolidated School District	Highlands Elementary School 2100 Gilpin Ave Wilmington, DE 19806	Dupont (alexis I.) Middle School 3130 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807	Dickinson (john) High School 1801 Milltown Rd Wilmington, DE 19808
	Richardson Park Elementary School 16 Idella Ave Wilmington, DE 19804	Conrad Schools Of Science 201 Jackson Ave Wilmington, DE 19804	Mckean (thomas) High School 301 Mckennan's Church Rd Wilmington, DE 19808
	Richey Elementary School 105 East Highland Ave Wilmington, DE 19804	Stanton Middle School 1800 Limestone Rd Wilmington, DE 19804	Dupont (alexis I.) High School 50 Hillside Rd Wilmington, DE 19807
Seaford School District	Seaford Central Elementary School 1 Delaware Placeace Seaford, DE 19973	Seaford Middle School 500 East Stein Hwy Seaford, DE 19973	Seaford Senior High School 399 North Market St Seaford, DE 19973
	West Seaford Elementary School 511 Sussex Ave Seaford, DE 19973	Seaford Senior High School 399 North Market St Seaford, DE 19973
	Frederick Douglass Elementary School 1 Swain Rd Seaford, DE 19973
Smyrna School District	Sunnyside Elementary School 123 Rabbit Chase Rd Smyrna, DE 19977	Smyrna Middle School 700 Duck Creek Parkway Smyrna, DE 19977	Smyrna High School 500 Duck Creek Parkway Smyrna, DE 19977
	North Smyrna Elementary School 365 North Main St Smyrna, DE 19977	Smyrna High School 500 Duck Creek Parkway Smyrna, DE 19977
	Smyrna Elementary School 121 South School Ln Smyrna, DE 19977
Sussex Academy Of Arts And Sciences		Sussex Academy Of Arts And Sciences 21777 Sussex Pines Rd Georgetown, DE 19947
Sussex Technical School District
Woodbridge School District	Phillis Wheatley Middle School 48 Church St Bridgeville, DE 19933	Phillis Wheatley Middle School 48 Church St Bridgeville, DE 19933	Woodbridge High School 307 Laws St Bridgeville, DE 19933
	Woodbridge Elementary School 400 Governors Ave Greenwood, DE 19950

Delaware Education Contact Information

Delaware Department Of Education

401 Federal St.
Dover, DE 19901

302-735-4000

How to Become a Teacher in Delaware