State recognizes Montessori training for teacher certification
Beginning Dec. 11, aspiring Montessori educators in Delaware will have a new pathway to state teacher certification. The Delaware State Board of Education recently approved Regulation 1528, creating an Elementary Montessori Teacher Standard Certificate for educators who complete an approved Montessori preparation program and meet additional state requirements.
The new regulation establishes certification requirements for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree, complete a Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)-accredited program and complete coursework in the science of reading. The regulation recognizes Montessori-specific educator preparation as a route to state certification for teachers in Delaware Montessori schools.
Previously, educators seeking to teach in Delaware’s public Montessori charter schools generally pursued both traditional teacher certification and Montessori certification, creating additional costs and barriers. Regulation 1528 creates a dedicated certification option that aligns state requirements with Montessori educator preparation.
“This regulation is an important recognition of the value and rigor of Montessori teacher preparation,” said Linda Zankowsky, director of the University of Delaware Montessori Teacher Academy. “By establishing a certification pathway that includes MACTE-accredited training, Delaware is acknowledging that Montessori educators develop specialized knowledge and skills that prepare them to serve students effectively. This change will help strengthen the pipeline of qualified Montessori teachers while supporting the growth of Montessori education across our state.”
The regulation follows Delaware’s recent approval of additional MACTE-accredited programs at the University of Delaware Montessori Teacher Academy and represents another step forward for Montessori education in the state.
Delaware joins a growing number of states that recognize Montessori-specific educator preparation as an approved route to certification, part of a broader effort to align state credentialing systems with accredited Montessori programs.
By recognizing MACTE-accredited preparation programs, Delaware’s new regulation helps streamline certification requirements while supporting the development of a qualified Montessori educator workforce.
