Certification Issuance and Renewal First Issuance Certification Issuance Requirements and Applications This page contains certification requirements and applications for anyone seeking an Initial certificate through RI approved programs, reciprocity, or credential review. For information on Preliminary certificates, see Paths to Certification. Rhode Island Certification Tests and Passing Scores APPLY ONLINE!! You may apply for any of the following certificates only on RIDE Portal. Early Childhood Grades | Elementary Grades | Middle Grades | Secondary Grades | All Grades | Administrators | Support Professionals | Endorsements GRADE SPAN CERTIFICATION AREAS RESOURCES Early Childhood (Grades PK-2) Early Childhood Special Education Bilingual Dual Language English to Speakers of Other Languages (Effective Sep 2020, this is now offered as an All Grades English to Speakers of Other Languages. See href="/TeachersAdministrators/EducatorCertification/CertificationIssuanceandRenewal.aspx#AG">All Grades section below) Early Childhood Requirements General Educator Application Elementary (Grades 1-6) Elementary Special Education Bilingual Dual Language English to Speakers of Other Languages (Effective Sep 2020, this is now offered as an All Grades English to Speakers of Other Languages. See All Grades section below) Elementary Requirements General Educator Application Middle Grades (Grades 5-8) English Mathematics Science Social Studies Special Education Bilingual Dual Language English to Speakers of Other Languages (Effective Sep 2020, this is now offered as an All Grades English to Speakers of Other Languages. See All Grades section below) Middle Grades Requirements General Educator Application Secondary Grades (Grades 7-12) Agriculture Biology Business Education Career and Technical Education Chemistry English General Science Mathematics Social Studies Special Education Bilingual Dual Language English to Speakers of Other Languages (Effective Sep 2020, this is now offered as an All Grades English to Speakers of Other Languages. See All Grades section below) Secondary Requirements General Educator Application Secondary CTE Requirements All Grades (Grades PK-12) Art Dance Family and Consumer Science Health Library Media Studies Music Physical Education School Nurse Teacher Technology Education Theater World Languages Special Education-Deaf and Hard of Hearing-American Sign Language Special Education-Deaf and Hard of Hearing-Oral/Aural Communication Special Education-Visually Impaired Special Education-Severe Intellectual Disability Special Education Bilingual Dual Language English to Speakers of Other Languages All Grades Requirements General Educator Application Administrator Certificates Building Level Administrator District Level Administrator - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment District Level Administrator - Special Education School Business Administrator Superintendent of Schools Administrator Requirements General Educator Application Fast Track Pathway NEW!! Support Professional Certificates School Counselor School Psychologist School Social Worker Speech and Language Pathologist Reading Specialist/Consultant Mathematics Specialist/Consultant English to Speakers of Other Languages Specialist/Consultant Instructional Leader Registered School Nurse Support Professional Requirements General Educator Application Endorsements Literacy/Dyslexia Multilingual Learners Computer Science Endorsements Requirements Endorsement Application Charter School Certification Guidance Renewal Requirements Resources for educators renewing certificates in 2022 APPLY ONLINE!! You may renew any of the following certificates only on RIDE Portal. On Jan 1, 2022, we will begin the third year of certification renewal using Professional Learning Units (PLUs). Educators renewing certificates in 2022 will need to show evidence of PLUs as follows: Initial (3-year) Certificates Educators holding Initial certificates must complete 25 PLUs per year of employment for a total of 75 PLUs in order to progress to a Professional (5-year) certificate. Professional (5-year) Certificates Educators holding Professional Certificates must complete 15 PLUs per year of employment for a total of 45 PLUs in order to renew as a Professional (5-year) certificate. Since PLUs were not required until renewal year 2020, educators must complete them for school years 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 only. Advanced (7-year) Certificates Educators who achieve an aspirational benchmark in addition to the 45 PLUs can progress to an Advanced (7-year) certificate. Evidence of aspirational benchmarks must be submitted to RIDE on when renewing online on My eCert. Aspirational benchmarks include: National Board Certification Conferral of an advanced degree RIDE or national recognition (Milken Award, State Teacher of the Year, or Presidential Award for Math and Science) Completion of NISL Executive Development Program or served as a NISL facilitator Achieves RIDE certification in limited number of shortage areas identified by RIDE LEAs may approve professional learning activities for educators in one or more of the following categories: Subject matter/content knowledge and skills Pedagogical knowledge or pedagogical content knowledge and skills Curriculum implementation knowledge and skills Enhance educator effectiveness An hour of approved professional learning equals one Professional Learning Unit (PLU). LEAs will verify in the Personnel Data Collection system that the educator has completed all required PLUs. RIDE will not collect individual PLU evidence, but educators should maintain their own records. One Year Special Provisional Certificate A One-Year Special Provisional Certificate may be issued to educators who hold Initial, Professional or Advanced Educator Certificates and did not obtain approval or did not complete professional learning unit requirements. Educators holding the Special Provisional certificate must complete the missing PLUs during this certificate's one-year cycle and submit evidence to the school/district to complete the electronic sign off process. Application Form for Special Provisional Certificate RESOURCES: Professional Learning Units (PLU) Guidance Informational Slide Deck - Information on Professional Learning Units required for educators renewing certificates in 2022. Frequently Asked Questions for 2022 - RIDE has answered some of the most common questions related to certification renewal. Professional Learning Units Trackers (Word version and Excel version) and Professional Learning Units Verification Forms