Part Time Teaching Licenses: Delaware

Analysis of Delaware's policies

Delaware does not offer a license with minimal requirements that would allow content experts to teach part time.

Recommendations for Delaware

Offer a license that allows content experts to serve as part-time instructors.
Delaware should permit individuals with deep subject-area knowledge to teach a limited number of courses without fulfilling a complete set of certification requirements. The state should verify content knowledge through a rigorous test and conduct background checks as appropriate, while waiving all other licensure requirements. Such a license would increase districts' flexibility to staff certain subjects, including many STEM areas, that are frequently hard to staff or may not have high enough enrollment to necessitate a full-time position.

State response to our analysis

Delaware recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state contended, however, that given the current supply of highly-qualified and better-prepared teachers, the state sees no reason to waive basic licensure requirements. The state asserted that traditional or alternate route preparation is preferable to what NCTQ proposes in this goal.

Last word

A part-time license such as this can be helpful in allowing districts to fill shortage areas, such as physics, with content experts who may not be interested in teaching full time and thus are unlikely to be willing to complete a preparation program, even through an alternate route.