Delaware Administration/Principal Certification
The Delaware Department of Education issues Standard Certificates for School Principals and Assistant Principals as well as Standard Certificates for School District Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents.
Education Requirements
Standard Certificate for School Principals and Assistant Principals
One of the following degrees is required:
- Master’s degree in educational leadership from a state or NCATE-approved program
- Master’s degree in education from a NCATE specialty organization recognized educator preparation program or from a state approved educator preparation program
- Master’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution AND completion of a three semester hour graduate level course in each of the following areas:
- School administration
- Supervision and evaluation of staff
- School business management
- Curriculum development
- Human relations
- School law or legal issues in education
- Child or adolescent development (if not already taken at the undergraduate level)
Learn more about the graduate school process. Contact schools offering educational administration degree programs in Delaware.
Standard Certificate for School District Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents
One of the following degrees is required:
- A doctorate in educational leadership from a state or NCATE-approved program
- A doctorate or master’s degree in education from a regionally accredited institution AND a current Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent certificate from another state
- A doctorate or master’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution AND completion of graduate course work in each of the following areas:
- Personnel administration
- Supervision and evaluation of staff
- School business management
- Curriculum development and instruction
- Human relations
- School law or legal issues in education
- Organizational management
- Child or adolescent development (if not already taken at the undergraduate level)
Examinations
No additional examinations are required to receive either the Standard Certificate for School Principals and Assistant Principals or the Standard Certificate for School District Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents.
Experience Requirements
Standard Certificate for School Principals and Assistant Principals
You must have at least three years of teaching experience in the level to which you wish to be assigned School Principal or Assistant Principal (except for middle school, in which your teaching experience may be from any grade PK-12).
Standard Certificate for School District Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents
One of the following requirements must be met:
- At least five years of teaching experience at the PK-12 level
- At least five years of full time PK to 12 leadership experience
- A combination of A & B to equal five years total experience
Document and Application Requirements
You must apply online for both the Standard Certificate for School Principals and Assistant Principals and the Standard Certificate for School District Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents. Make sure to forward the additional required documentation below to Delaware Department of Education, Collette Education Resource Center, 35 Commerce Way, Suite 1, Dover, DE 19904, ATTN: Certification:
- Official sealed transcript(s)
- Request for Transcript Form (if you attended an out-of-state school) to verify an out of state educator preparation program
- Verification of Teaching Experience form, if applicable (if your full-time teaching experience was out-of-state – if it occurred in Delaware, it will be recorded in DEEDS)
- Verification of Non-Teaching Experience form, for leadership/administrative experience, if applicable
- Photocopies of any teaching certificates you hold out-of-state
Criminal History Background Check
Before being licensed to work with children in Delaware, you must have current state child abuse clearance. You must also submit your fingerprints for a criminal history and background check. Because it takes several weeks for such clearances to be completed, you should start the process early.
For Delaware Child Abuse Clearance, you must complete the Delaware Child Protection Registry Request Form. This should be available from your college or university or from the Delaware school district in which you are interested in working. You must complete the request form and mail it to DSCYF, OCCL, Criminal History Unit, 1825 Faulkland Road, Wilmington, DE 19805. Alternatively, you may fax the form to (302) 633-5191.
You must visit the Delaware State Bureau of Identification, located at a county office of the Delaware State Police, to certify your Delaware criminal history. The three county offices are in Kent County (Dover), Sussex County (Georgetown) and New Castle County (Bear). Sussex County and New Castle County require you to make an appointment, but Kent County offers background checks on a walk-in basis. Bring your driver’s license, school ID card or state ID card and ask for a state and federal background check. The fee is currently $69, payable to Delaware State Police. For more information, call (302) 739-5871.
Contact Information
For a list of Delaware Department of Education-approved coursework leading to certificates for principals, assistant principals, superintendents and assistant superintendents, go here.
For more information on certification for administrators in Delaware, contact the Delaware Department of Education Certification Office at (302) 857-3388 or visit their website.
