Delaware Alternative Certification Programs

The education system is always in need of qualified teachers to provide a solid education to students at all grade levels. In Delaware, teachers do not have to pursue a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in education to become a teacher. The state offers three alternative certification programs that offer a faster way to obtain teaching certification.

Program Name: Alternative Routes to Certification (ARTC)

Program Mission and Overview:
The ARTC program offers individuals the opportunity to earn their teaching certification while they work as teachers in the field. Candidates go through graduate-level education coursework and intensive school-based supervision and monitoring. Work is completed during the first two years of teaching.

The ARTC program focuses on providing schools with qualified teachers in high-needs subject areas. These subject areas include:

• Art
• Business
• English language arts for grades 6 through 12
• World languages
• Mathematics for grades 6 through 12
• Music
• Science
• Family and consumer sciences
• Engineering and technology education

Eligibility and How to Apply:
Candidates for the ARTC program must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a high-needs subject area or related field.
• Have 30 credits in a specific subject.
• Pass the PRAXIS I test in writing, reading and math.
• Pass the PRAXIS II test in the chosen subject area.

Candidates for the ARTC program should follow the step by step instructions found here.

Financial Information:
Candidates are responsible for paying the cost of the PRAXIS tests, which is $135 for PRAXIS I and between $115 and $150 for the PRAXIS II, depending on the subject matter.

The three required ARTC seminars cost $300 each.

Four education courses are also required at a rate of $1,875 per class, plus fees.

Students who apply for the State Critical Needs Scholarship will pay $3,200 out of pocket, plus the cost of the PRAXIS tests.

Some candidates may be eligible for a full Special Institution Scholarship.

The ACCESS Center at the Office of Professional and Continuing Education also offers several small grants.

Program Name: Delaware Transition to Teaching Partnership (DT3P)

Program Mission and Overview:
The DT3P program is specifically designed to fill the high-need subject areas of math, science, English, technology and engineering. Most teachers will work in grades 6 through 12 in one of these subject areas. This program must be completed before accepting a teaching position in the chosen subject area.

Eligibility and How to Apply:
Candidates must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 3.0.
• Have a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, English or math, or have at least 30 credits with a C or better in each of the aforementioned subject areas.
• Provide two character and two professional letters of reference.
• Pass the PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II exams.
• Pass a background check.

All required coursework must be completed within two years of beginning the DT3P program.

Print and fill out the application.

Financial Information:
The PRAXIS tests cost $135 for PRAXIS I and varies by subject area for PRAXIS II. The four required education courses cost $1,695 each, plus an $80 fee. DT3P candidates can receive a scholarship of $1,000 per course, including the summer institute, for a total of $5,000. This brings the total cost of attendance to $3,100, plus the cost of testing.
Several small grants are also available through the ACCESS Center.

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Learn more about how to become a teacher in Delaware.