Reciprocity Route to Educator Certification:

Rhode Island is a participating state in the Interstate Certification Compact (ICC) which provides that certification be granted to an applicant who holds a valid and comparable certificate from another member state, provided the applicant has complied with any requirements of the receiving state regarding degrees held, experience, eligibility, citizenship, and moral, ethical, physical, and mental fitness.

The Reciprocity Route to educator certification in Rhode Island is the process by which Rhode Island issues certification to educators who completed approved educator preparation programs in a state other than Rhode Island or hold full certification in a state other than Rhode Island. (Note, full certification is comparable to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Stage 3 License and is recognized by other states for reciprocity.) Educators who seek certification in Rhode Island through reciprocity must satisfy dependent certification requirements which stipulate that the first issuance of specified certificate areas (e.g. Special Education, District Administrator - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and Reading Specialist) require the individual to also apply for and hold the corresponding independent certification (e.g. Elementary Education, Building Principal, and Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, or All Grades Teacher). Further information regarding Independent and Dependent certificate areas is available at the following the following link: http://www.ride.ri.gov/EducatorQuality/Certification/default.aspx

Note, certifications that are not NASDTEC Level 3 or higher such as Preliminary certificates are not considered full certificates and are not eligible for reciprocity in Rhode Island.

To obtain certification in Rhode Island through reciprocity, applicants must complete the following:

• Submit an Official Transcript showing conferral or completion of degree(s) and/or program(s) from a state approved educator preparation program.
• Submit a copy of a current, valid, and comparable educator certificate from the member state.
• Provide evidence of meeting all Rhode Island certification assessment requirements.
• Apply for or hold the appropriate Independent Certificate.
• School nurse teachers and social workers must hold a valid R.I. license issued by the R.I. Department of Health to be considered for reciprocity.