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Print This Page Office of Educator Quality and Certification
Educator Certification  
 

The Office of Educator Quality is open to the public 8:00- 4:00 Monday - Friday.

Dear Educators:  Processing time for certification applications is approximately 3 months.  The summer months are very busy with renewal requests and new certification requests.  You can check the status of your application by logging into the certification system as a returning teacher with your id and password. 

Important Announcement: New Certification Regulations go into effect on January 1, 2012. 
Click on the Certification Regulations & Information tab below to learn about the new regulations and
how they will impact current and prospective  Rhode Island Educators. 

  Notice for Public Hearing:
The Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education have approved for public hearing proposed certification tests and passing scores. Follow this link, Proposed Certification Tests and Scores, to view the specific certification tests and scores.

 
       
Updates

Important Information
Please note that applications are processed in the order in which they are received.  Be certain that the application packet is complete.  Only complete packets can be processed.  Every effort is made to respond to your request in a timely manner.

Federal legislation, the No Child Left Behind Act mandates that all teachers of core academic subjects be highly qualified as defined by the law.  To meet the federal definition of a highly qualified teacher you must:
  • Hold a Bachelors Degree
  • Hold full state certification
  • Demonstrate subject matter competency in the core academic subject (s) by having a major or its equivalent or by passing a rigorous content knowledge test.
 

Certification Applications and Requirements
Certification Applications
Applications for Certifications - General Educator Application
Teachers, Administrators, Support Professionals, Substitute Teachers, Athletic Coaches
Applications for Certifications - One Year Professional
One Year Professional Career and Technical Educators and School Nurse Teachers
Certification Requirements
Teachers - Click here to view certification requirements
Administrators - Click here to view certification requirements
Support Professionals - Click here to view certification requirements
Substitute Teachers and Athletic Coaches - Click here to view certification requirements
 
Certification Process
Certification Areas Issued
Certification Fees
Independent and Dependent Certificate Areas
Certification Issuance, Renewal, and Reinstatement
Certification Reciprocity Agreements
Foreign Credential Evaluations
Praxis® Tests (ETS Web Site)
RICERT Web Site / Portal
 
RI Professional Educator Standards
RI Professional Teaching Standards
RI Standards for Educational Leadership
 
   
Regulations Governing the Certification of Educators in Rhode Island
Effective January 1, 2012

The January 1, 2012 Rhode Island certification regulations detail a comprehensive redesign of the certification system that updates the requirements and procedures that govern educator certification in Rhode Island.  The goals of the regulations are to align educator certification to the Rhode Island Department of Education’s 2010 Strategic Plan, to more closely connect certification and educator performance, to open pathways for career advancement, and to streamline educator certification requirements.  The January 1, 2012 certification requirements bring all previous sets of regulations and revisions together into one set of regulations governing educator certification in Rhode Island.
 
General Information
Promulgated Certification Regulations
Overview of the New Certification Regulations
Tiered Certification Structure
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Glossary of Terms

Guidance Documents
Currently Certified Educators
Prospective Educators
Middle Grades Educators
ESL and Bilingual and Dual Language Educators
Charter School Educators
Special Education
 
 
   
The Office of Educator Quality and Certification (OEQ&C) engaged in the work of educator certification system redesign as part of the RIDE’s Strategic Plan and Rhode Island’s Race to the Top initiative.  The OEQ&C was charged with developing recommendations for consideration by the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education by the fall of 2011.  A RIDE cross-office work team was established, developed a work plan, and started the work of certification redesign by examining best practices, other state models, and research on certification.  The group organized the work of certification redesign by four major areas: certification types, certification areas, certification routes, and certification renewal.  The work group conducted extensive public outreach to develop a proposed certification system and inform the development of draft certification regulations.  The Regents approved the draft recommendations for public comment which occurred between September 1, 2011 and October 11, 2011.  On November 3, 2011 the Regents accepted revisions to the draft regulations based on the public comment period and voted to approve the certification regulations to go in effect on January 1, 2012.

Please contact Andre Audette - Andre.Audette@ride.ri.gov with any questions regarding Certification Redesign.

Certification Redesign Development Documents
The following documents were used to inform the development of the Regulations Governing the Certification of Educators in Rhode Island, promulgated November 3, 2011.
Certification Regulations for Public Comment
Board of Regents Update July 2011
Certification Redesign Tasks and Timeline
Certification Redesign Presentation - Certification Types
Certification Redesign - Survey Results
To gather information, RIDE conducted 3 surveys of educators.  Survey results were considered in the development of the working draft.
Certification Redesign - Certification Area Charts
RIDE has shared during outreach sessions the two Certification Area charts to show the current certification areas and the emerging vision for certification areas.

 

Early Childhood

Elementary

Middle Grades

Secondary
Grades

All Grades

Special Education

   
Click on the following links for specific issuance and renewal requirements for each Support Professionals certificate area.
 
Reading Specialist/Consultant
School Counselor
School Psychologist
School Social Worker
Speech and Language Pathologist
 
   
Click on the following links for specific issuance and renewal requirements for Substitute Teachers and Athletic Coaches.
 
Substitute Teacher Permit
Athletic Coach Permit
 
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