(a) Upon a showing by an educator of exigent circumstances, the Department may, through rules and regulations promulgated and adopted pursuant to this chapter, issue a license extension for a period not to exceed 1 year.

(b) An educator may take an extended leave of absence for up to 3 years with no effect upon the validity or expiration of the educator’s initial, continuing or advanced license.

(c) If an applicant is not employed by a public school district or charter school, the initial license shall be inactive until such time as the applicant is employed by a public school district or charter school. Once employed, the initial license shall be in effect for up to 4 years and all rules and regulations promulgated and adopted under this chapter shall apply.

(d) The expiration of an educator’s license before the end of the school year shall be considered an exigent circumstance under subsection (a) of this section and the educator’s license shall be extended until the end of that school year. Notwithstanding any extension, the effective date of any renewed license shall be the original expiration date.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary, a license issued by the Department pursuant to this chapter does not expire for a “qualifying person” as defined in paragraph (e)(4) of this section as follows:

a. If the qualifying person holds an initial license, for 180 days after the date the qualifying person returns from active deployment.

b. If the qualifying person holds a continuing or advanced license, for 270 days after the date the qualifying person returns from active deployment.

(2) A qualifying person who held a valid continuing or advanced license at the time of deployment and who wishes to renew the continuing or advanced license must submit to the Department an application for renewal within 180 days after the qualifying person has returned from active deployment. Applicants for renewal of a continuing license must meet the requirements set forth in § 1212 of this title. Applicants for renewal of an advanced license must meet the requirements set forth in § 1214 of this title.

(3) The protection from license expiration provided under this subsection does not void or limit the obligations of the qualifying person to meet all requirements of licensure as established by this chapter and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(4) As used in this section, “qualifying person” means an individual who is a member of the active duty military, a member of the National Guard, a member of the military reserve, retired military, or a military veteran.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary, a “qualifying person,” as defined in paragraph (e)(4) of this section, or the spouse of a qualifying person, may apply for reinstatement of a license issued by the Department pursuant to this chapter within 2 years of the lapse or expiration of the license. The qualifying person or the spouse of a qualifying person must submit an application to reinstate the license together with a copy of official verification that the applicant is a qualifying person or the spouse of a qualifying person and the qualifying person is assigned to a duty station in this State. This subsection does not apply to a license that was suspended or revoked.

72 Del. Laws, c. 294, § ?2; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1; 74 Del. Laws, c. 14, § ?6; 75 Del. Laws, c. 77, § ?9; 80 Del. Laws, c. 297, § 1; 81 Del. Laws, c. 43, § 1; 83 Del. Laws, c. 508, § 5;