Getting Certified in Rhode Island

The RI Approved Program Pathway allows individuals to enroll and complete certificate area programs with an in-state educator preparation provider.

This pathway:

• prepares individuals for full certification eligibility.
• provides future educators with options including both public and private providers.
• requires completion of a RI Approved Program
• requires compliance with applicable certification requirements including current RI testing requirements 

Future RI educators should utilize the Educator Preparation Index to better understand the performance and outcomes of recent graduates.

Narrative reports about each provider will be made public in 2016.

The Credential Review Pathway allows eligible individuals to pursue RI certification by following a differentiated program of study (determined by a consortium institution or RIDE). RIDE conducts credential review in a limited number of certificate areas.

Questions regarding the process associated with the Consortium Credential Review should be directed to the institutions.

This pathway:

• leads to meeting RI requirements for full certification
• may be pursued through either the Credential Review Consortium Institution (CRCI) or RIDE Credential Review
• allows educators to pursue customized programs of study based on their experience
• requires compliance with current RI certification requirements, including RI testing requirements
• works alongside preliminary certificates

Educators pursuing this pathway should follow the steps below:  

1. Reach out to the point of contact from an approved CRCI intitution
2. Review results from the Credential Review
3. Decide and take action

Educators seeking reinstatement of a certificate that expired more than 10 years ago should pursue this pathway.

RIDE Credential Review Information

RIDE Credential review is offered in a limited number of certificate areas. Please review the CRCI Area Listing above. Some educators may seek RIDE Credential Review for the following scenarios:

• Currently certified Secondary Grades educators seeking an additional Secondary Grades certificate may apply for RIDE Credential Review.
• Currently certified All Grades educators seeking an additional All Grades certificate may apply for RIDE Credential Review.

• Credential Review Educator Profiles

  • Educator Profiles

    I taught for ten years in a private school and was never certified.  I want to become certified in RI.

    I am a working RI elementary education educator.  I also have a preliminary (expert residency) elementary special education certificate.  My district is supporting me in pursuing full certification in elementary special education.

    I had a RI certificate that expired more than 5 years ago.  I want to reinstate my certificate.

Reciprocity allows individuals who completed a state approved out-of-state preparation program or who hold valid full out-of-state certificates to pursue RI certification where similar certificate areas exist.

This pathway:

• leads to full RI certification
• recognizes state approved program completers from outside of Rhode Island
• recognizes full and aligned out-of-state certificates
• requires compliance with current RI testing requirements Changes to certification tests effective June 1, 2022

NEW!! Expansion of Inter-State Flexibility Agreement

 
Effective 9/24/2020 RIDE has expanded the number of states eligible for RI inter-state flexibilities, allowing out of state certified educators and program completers a streamlined process to certification. Educators from the sixteen (16) states listed below who hold valid RI like certificates or have completed state approved programs in RI like certificate areas are exempt from taking the RI required tests and are not held to experience requirements (if applicable). However, if RI requires a specific certificate (independent certificate) in order to be eligible for a second certificate (dependent certificate) this requirement remains the same. 

If you are a certified educator or have completed an educator preparation program from a state other than these 16 states, read more information below regarding reciprocity requirements for Rhode Island certification. Prior to applying through this pathway, review your credentials to ensure you qualify. National interstate agreements may also be found online through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC.)

• Out-of-State Preparation Program Completer

  • This pathway may be available to individuals who have completed state-approved preparation programs. The preparation program must lead to comparable certification in RI.
    
    Individuals pursuing this pathway should review the RI certification and testing requirements prior to submitting an application.
    
    Include official student-issued transcripts and/or letter of verification of a completed approved program stating the content and grade range in your application packet.
    
    Application processing takes fourteen to sixteen weeks. Complete applications are processed more quickly than incomplete applications.

• Out-of-State Certificate Holder

  • This reciprocity pathway may be available to individuals who hold a valid, current, full, out-of-state certificate. The certificate must align to a specific RI certificate grade range and content area, is NASDTEC Stage 3, and is NOT a temporary or preliminary certificate.
    
    Individuals pursuing this pathway should review the RI certification and testing requirements prior to submitting an application.
    
    Include official student-issued transcripts and/or letter of verification of a completed approved program stating the content and grade range in your application packet.
    
    Application processing takes fourteen to sixteen weeks. Complete applications are processed more quickly than incomplete applications.

Preliminary Certificates allow individuals to seek and secure employment while pursuing the requirements for full RI certification.

This pathway:

• allows educators to work in RI
• has unique requirements for renewal
• may be completed in conjunction with another RI pathway

APPLY ONLINE! You may apply for any of the following preliminary certificates.

Go to RIDE Portal to start your application.

*Initiated by approved alternate route programs and may be renewed one time
**Initiated by a Rhode Island LEA

FAST TRACK PRINCIPAL CERTIFICATES

We are excited to share a new pathway that opens up opportunities for experienced teacher leaders (10 years or more) to become building level administrators. This is an additional way for educators to work towards full Building Level Administrator certification, allowing them to serve in the principal role within their district at the same time if necessary. An overview of the requirements and guidelines, as well as supporting documents and applications, can be found on this page.

Applications and Requirements

• Fast-Track Principal Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate Application
• Building Level Administrator PK-12 Fast-Track Principal Certificate Application
• Certification Requirements

Additional Resources

• Internship Guidelines and Guidance
• Fast-Track Principal Reflection Tool and Tracker
• Rhode Island Standards for Education Leaders (RISEL)
• RIDE-approved Leadership Programs (Watch this space! More coming soon!):
  1. National Institute for School Leadership-Executive Development Program
  2. Accelerate Institute *New*
  3. New Leaders *New*
  4. Relay Graduate School of Education *New*

Foreign Credentials

Applicants seeking certification on the basis of foreign (non-U.S.) coursework and/or diplomas must provide the Office of Educator Quality and Certification with a detailed equivalency report or course-by-course evaluation of any college-level credit completed.

Independent evaluations must be made by one of the nationally recognized agencies approved by NACES® or by a RIDE-approved vendor.

NACES is an association of independent, nongovernmental organizations which provide credential evaluation services to individuals who have completed part or all their education outside the United States.

You can view a listing of vendors that are approved by RIDE to evaluate foreign credentials.

If you are a vendor and wish to apply to be a RIDE approved Foreign Credential agency, please complete the application and submit to eqac@ride.ri.gov

Certification Endorsement

Provider Applications and Approval

On December 4, 2018, the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education approved updated educator certification regulations that include endorsements. While RIDE does not require endorsements for school assignments, adding an endorsement to current, existing, and valid Rhode Island certificate(s) is designed to expand and recognize an educator's specialty area expertise.

The Literacy/Dyslexia Endorsement application has been revised to ensure alignment with Rhode Island's Right to Read Act legislation expectations. The Right to Read Act expectations require rigorous and intensive study of the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy. As a result, all educators who complete a RIDE approved program that meets the expectations for proficiency within the Right to Read Act legislation will be eligible to apply for the Literacy/Dyslexia Endorsement.

RIDE accepts applications, annually, from providers who are interested in offering a professional learning series or courses that will lead to an approved endorsement in the areas of Literacy/Dyslexia, Computer Science, or Multilingual Learner. The Endorsement application window will reopen on December 15, 2022 and will remain open until January 31, 2023.

*NEW* Multilingual Learner Endorsement application window now open

RIDE is currently accepting applications for Multilingual Learner endorsement providers until September 30, 2022. The application window will reopen again during the general endorsement application window from December 15, 2022 to January, 31 2023. Instructions for completing and submitting the applications can be found on Multilingual Learner application below. 

Application Forms for Vendors

• Computer Science
• Literacy/Dyslexia
• Multilingual Learners

Approved Endorsement Providers

Time frames

• The application window for endorsements closed on January 31, 2022. The application window will reopen on December 15, 2022 and will remain open until January 31, 2023.