The Delaware Higher Education Office (DHEO) administers a reimbursement program, whereas the DHEO will make a payment on behalf of an awarded applicant directly to the institution after the semester is complete. This program supports educators who currently hold an Emergency Certificate or a Certificate of Eligibility in a high need area during the time they took the coursework.
Eligibility Requirements:
In order to be eligible for the Critical Needs Reimbursement Program, an applicant must:
- Be a full-time employee of a Delaware district or charter school
- Teach on a valid Emergency Certificate or a Certificate of Eligibility in a critical need area as defined by the Delaware Department of Education and are taking coursework to enable them to achieve Standard Certification.
- Hold an Emergency Certificate or a Certificate of Eligibility in a high need area during the time they took the coursework for which they are seeking reimbursement.
- Attend any out-of-state regionally accredited college or university, or Alternative Routes to Teacher Licensure and Certification programs approved by the Delaware Secretary of Education and authorized to operate in Delaware.
- Must complete a course with a 2.0 GPA or higher on 4.0 scale (“C” or higher).
Eligible applicants will be reimbursed for a maximum of 2 courses per year (summer, fall, winter, spring).
Applicants can submit for reimbursement for up to 1 of the following per academic year (summer, fall, winter, spring)
- 2 non credit-bearing seminars or workshops required for certification
- 2 credit bearing courses, up to 6 credits in total
- 1 noncredit-bearing seminar or workshop required for certification and up to 1 three-credit course
| Subject Area | Certifications |
| Bilingual | 1561 Bilingual Teacher |
| English Language Learner | 1562 Teacher of English Learners |
| World Languages | 1565 World Language Teacher |
| Math | 1532 Middle Level Mathematics Teacher
1542 Secondary Mathematics Teacher |
| Science | 1533 Middle Level Science Teacher
1543 Secondary Science Teacher |
| Special Education (All Areas) | 1570 Early Childhood Exceptional Children Special Education Teacher
1571 Special Education Teacher of Students with Disabilities 1573 Teacher of Students with Autism or with Severe Intellectual Disabilities 1574 Teacher of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing 1575 Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments |
| Business Education | 1551 Business Education Teacher |
| AgriScience Education | 1550 AgriScience Teacher |
| Family Consumer Science | 1554 Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher |
| School Nurse | 1582 School Nurse |
| Library Media Specialist | 1580 School Library Media Specialist |
| English | 1531 Middle Level English Language Arts Teacher
1540 Secondary English Language Arts Teacher |
| Immersion (Elementary/World language) | 1521 Elementary Teachers (only if seeking Immersion position with demonstrated language proficiency) |
| Technology Education | 1557 Technology Education Teacher |
Reimbursement Procedures:
- DHEO will review the online applications to determine eligibility for the Critical Need Reimbursement program
- All applicants will be notified of their award status via email.
- The awarded amount will be sent directly to the institute of higher education where the educator took eligible coursework after verification of eligibility. The institution will be responsible for reimbursing the recipient.
For the 2024-2025 academic year (Summer 2024 – Spring 2025) the reimbursement amount will be pro-rated up to a maximum of $1,300 per eligible course.
Application Procedures
| Term | Application & Description | Application Opens | Application Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | The online application for coursework taken during summer 2024. | 09/01/2024 @ 8:00am | 09/16/2024 @ 4:30pm |
| Fall/Winter | The online application for coursework taken during fall/winter 2024-2025. | 02/01/2025 @ 8:00am | 02/17/2025 @ 4:30pm |
| Spring | The online application for coursework taken during spring 2025. | 05/01/2025 @ 8:00am | 05/15/2025 @ 4:30pm |
*Note: links will show as “not accepting applications at this time” because they are schedule to turn on at the dates mentioned in the chart. DHEO will verify all links are working the day it opens.
