RI certification
Rhode Island teacher certification
Teaching credentials in Rhode Island
Each row is a credential Rhode Island reported to Title II. Initial means a first credential for a new teacher. Years is the length of validity.
| Credential | Initial | Years | Renewable | Grade levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Certificate | No | 7 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
| Alternative certification program certificate | No | 1 | Yes | 1-6, 7-12 |
| Career and Technical Education Preliminary Certificate | No | 3 | Yes | 7-12 |
| Emergency Permit | No | 1 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
| Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate | No | 1 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
| Five Year Professional Certificate | No | 5 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
| Temporary Initial | No | 1 | No | 1-6, 5-9, 7-12 |
| Three Year Initial Certificate | Yes | 3 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
Requirements
Yes means the state reports the item as required for that credential. Tests shows only whether tests are required; Title II does not name the tests.
| Credential | Bachelor's | Master's | Education degree | Prep program | Tests | Performance assessment | Clinical | Coursework | Credit hours | Min. GPA | Transcripts | Employment | Mentoring | Recency | Background check | Fingerprint | Police check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Certificate | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Alternative certification program certificate | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Career and Technical Education Preliminary Certificate | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Emergency Permit | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Five Year Professional Certificate | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Temporary Initial | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Three Year Initial Certificate | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Verify a teaching license in Rhode Island
Teaching licenses in Rhode Island are verified on the lookup service run by Rhode Island Department of Education. Search there by the teacher's name or certificate number to see current status.
PT3 does not verify licenses and holds no records of individual teachers.
Renewal
Renew times is how many times the credential can be renewed; renewal years is the length of each renewal.
| Credential | Renewable | Renew times | Renewal years | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Certificate | Yes | 10 | 7 | Completing the required Professional Learning Units (PLUs) and achieving an additional Aspirational Benchmark. |
| Alternative certification program certificate | Yes | 1 | 1 | Candidates must show progress toward meeting full certification, but the program has determined an additional year is needed. |
| Career and Technical Education Preliminary Certificate | Yes | 1 | 4 | completion of college credits and recommendation from the employing agency for renewal |
| Emergency Permit | Yes | 3 | 1 | 6 credits towards full certification |
| Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate | Yes | 4 | 1 | Renewal requirements change at each point of renewal. 1st Renewal is contingent upon: Recommendation for renewal by a local education agency. Evidence of enrolling in an appropriate program or the development of a program of study. 2nd and 3rd Renewals require: Evidence of progress with a minimum of 6 credits in an appropriate program or the development of a program of study. Recommendation for renewal by a representative within an educator preparation program or program of study. Recommendation for renewal by a local education agency. |
| Five Year Professional Certificate | Yes | 99 | 5 | If an educator works during the term of a Five Year Professional Certificate, they renew their certificate by providing an evaluation rating from a state approved local evaluation system for each year that is worked. Educators who have worked for five years and provide evidence of at least one rating of Developing or Higher advance to a Five Year Professional certificate. An educator who does not work or does not receive evaluation ratings from a state approved local evaluation ratings does not need to meet renewal requirements and renews for an additional Five Year Professional certificate. |
| Temporary Initial | No | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Three Year Initial Certificate | Yes | 99 | 3 | If an educator works during the term of a three year Initial Certificate, they renew their certificate by providing an evaluation rating from a state approved local evaluation system for each year that is worked. Educators who have worked for three years and provide evidence of at least one rating of Developing or Higher advance to a Five Year Professional certificate. An educator who does not work or does not receive evaluation ratings from a state approved local evaluation ratings does not need to meet renewal requirements and renews for an additional Three Year Initial certificate. |
Emergency and temporary credentials
| Credential | Initial | Years | Renewable | Grade levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative certification program certificate | No | 1 | Yes | 1-6, 7-12 |
| Career and Technical Education Preliminary Certificate | No | 3 | Yes | 7-12 |
| Emergency Permit | No | 1 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
| Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate | No | 1 | Yes | 1-6, 5-8, 7-12 |
| Temporary Initial | No | 1 | No | 1-6, 5-9, 7-12 |
Out-of-state teachers
Title II lists no separate out-of-state credential for Rhode Island. Ask Rhode Island Department of Education how it reviews licenses from other states.
Newly licensed teachers prepared out of state: 445.
Alternative routes
- Rhode Island School for Progressive Education (teach while completing)
- Teach for America (teach while completing)
About Rhode Island certification
RIDE Strategic Plan for PK-12 Education, 2021 -2025" and the RI Educator Preparation Standards (2013) serve as the foundation for work related to the continuous improvement of educator preparation in Rhode Island.
RI collects and shares program completer data through the RI Educator Preparation Index. Indices specifically shares completer totals, employment information, and completer effectiveness in RI public schools.
How to become a teacher in Rhode IslandRhode Island teacher preparation providers
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a teaching certificate in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island reports 8 credentials to Title II, 1 of them initial. 1 initial credentials require a bachelor's degree, 0 require a preparation program and 1 require tests. Apply through Rhode Island Department of Education.
How do I verify a teaching license in Rhode Island?
Licenses are verified on the lookup service run by Rhode Island Department of Education. PT3 does not verify licenses.
Can I renew a Rhode Island teaching certificate?
7 of 8 Rhode Island credentials are reported as renewable. Renewal details by credential are listed in the Renewal section.
Does Rhode Island issue emergency or temporary teaching certificates?
Yes. Title II lists 5: Alternative certification program certificate; Career and Technical Education Preliminary Certificate; Emergency Permit; Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate; Temporary Initial.
Can I teach in Rhode Island with an out-of-state license?
Title II lists no separate out-of-state credential for Rhode Island. Ask Rhode Island Department of Education how it reviews licenses from other states.
Is there alternative teacher certification in Rhode Island?
Yes. Rhode Island reports 2 alternative routes to Title II.