How to Get Certified

We offer 3 Early Childhood certificates. Please see the program options for each below. 

We offer 3 Elementary Grades certificates. Please see the program options for each below. 

We offer 11 Middle Grades certificates. Please see the program option for each below. 

We offer 11 Secondary Grades certificates. Please see the program options for each below. 

We offer 18 All Grades certificates. Please see the program options for each below. 

We offer multiple Support Professional Certificates. Please see the program options for each below. 

We offer multiple Administrator certificates. Please see available programs below. 

RIDE issues nine types of preliminary certificates.

Alternative Certificate: Awarded to educators enrolled in RI-approved alternate route preparation programs who have been offered a position in a district to serve as an teacher-of-record 

Career and Technical Education: Awarded to educators who have met the requirements of this certificate, including appropriate occupational experience aligned to the CTE certificate

Emergency Certification: Awarded to educators, who have relevant coursework, at the request of an employing agency 

Expert Residency: Awarded to educators who have demonstrated subject matter proficiency, and have met other coursework or experience requirements 

Fast-Track Principal: Awarded to educators who have met the requirements for the certificate, including approval from their district 

International Teacher: Awarded to out-of-country educators who have met the requirements to temporarily teach in the United States

Registered Apprenticeship: Awarded to educators enrolled in a RI-approved registered apprenticeship program leading to educator certification

School Nurse Teacher: Awarded to educators who have met the preliminary requirements for the certificate 

Temporary Initial: Awarded to educators who seek certification through reciprocity but have not yet met RI testing requirements 

Alternative Route Certificates are awarded to educators enrolled in RI-approved alternate route preparation programs who have been offered a position in a district to serve as an teacher-of-record. These certificates are requested by the approved alternate route preparation program. 

CTE certificates are awarded to educators who have met the requirements of this certificate, including appropriate occupational experience aligned to the CTE certificate For specific requirements, review the CTE Requirements document. 

CTE Requirements

CTE Application

Expert Residency certificates are awarded to educators who have a bachelor's degree, or advanced degree when required, and have passed the appropriate RI assessment(s). For specific requirements, read the Expert Residency Overview. 

Expert Residency Overview

Expert Residency Application

The Fast-Track Principal Preliminary Certificate allows an educator, who is recommended by their LEA, to work as a building-level administrator while completing requirements for full certification.  

Fast-Track Principal At a Glance

Fast-Track Principal Internship Guidance

Fast-Track Principal Application

RIDE-Approved Leadership Programs

• National Institute for School Leadership-Executive Development Program
• Accelerate Institute: Leadership Academy Plus The Leadership Academy Plus Program is the only RIDE-approved program from Accelerate Institute
  For more information about Accelerate Institute's program, please contact: Erin Brooks
• New Leaders
• Relay Graduate School of Education For more information about Relay's program, please contact: 
  Tim Maynes or Rebecca Utton

The International Teacher Preliminary Certificate allows international educators to serve as teachers-of-record in Rhode Island public school settings on a temporary basis. A Local Education Agency (LEA) must submit the application on behalf of the international teacher, indicating its intent to employ an out-of-country educator in coordination with a RIDE-approved J-1 or H-1B visa sponsor. 

International Teacher At a Glance

International Teacher Application

J-1 and H-1B Visa Teacher Sponsor Application

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) promotes the sponsorship of J-1 and H-1B visas, enabling certified out-of-country PK-12 teachers to temporarily work in Rhode Island public schools. Providers applying to be RIDE-approved J-1 or H-1B teacher visa partners must complete this application.

As a designated sponsor, you will make available qualified foreign teachers of diverse national backgrounds, increase participation in cross-cultural activities in our schools and communities and enhance Rhode Island students’ knowledge of foreign cultures and customs.

Please allow 4-6 weeks for RIDE to review sponsor applications. Providers will receive a letter indicating their approval status.

The Registered Apprenticeship Preliminary Certificate is issued to individuals who are currently enrolled in a RIDE-approved Registered Apprenticeship program, have been recommended by the school district in which they are employed, and are working in a role that requires certification. The Registered Apprenticeship Certificate is requested by the employing agency and is valid for two years and may be renewed for one year up to three times.   

For more information regarding Registered Apprenticeships in Rhode Island, refer to Building Futures. 

The School Nurse Teacher (SNT) Preliminary Certificate is awarded to individuals who have met specified criteria that qualify them to serve as school nurses/health teachers while completing all requirements for full certification.

SNT Overview

SNT Application

Temporary Initial certificates are awarded to educators who seek certification through reciprocity but have not yet met RI testing requirements. This nonrenewable certificate allows educators to serve in Rhode Island public schools for no more than one year while they meet the appropriate certification assessment requirements. 

Temporary Initial Application

Preparation programs must lead to comparable RI certificates. 

Individuals pursuing this pathway should review the testing requirements. 

When submitting an application, include official student-issued transcripts and/or letter of verification of a completed approved program stating the content and grade range as well as an official test report if it hasn't already been sent to RIDE. 

This reciprocity pathway is 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. Temporary or preliminary certificates are not accepted. 

Individuals pursuing this pathway should review the testing requirements. 

When submitting an application, include official student-issued transcripts and/or letter of verification of a completed approved program stating the content and grade range as well as an official test report if it hasn't already been sent to RIDE. 

Educators who hold valid RI-like certificates or who have completed state-approved programs from the twenty-four (24) states listed below 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) to be eligible for a second certificate (dependent certificate), this requirement remains the same. 

States with Inter-State Flexibility

Effective January 2023, Congress added a new provision to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) that allows service members and their spouses to use their professional licenses (with the exception of law degrees) and certificates when they relocate due to military orders. 
   
To qualify for professional license portability under the SCRA, you must: 

1. Have moved to a location outside the jurisdiction of the licensing authority that issued the covered license or certificate because of orders for military service.
2. Provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction.
3. Have actively used the license or certificate during the two years immediately preceding the move.
4. Remain in good standing with: 
   a. the licensing authority that issued the covered license or certificate; and 
   b. every other licensing authority that issued a license or certificate valid for a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction.
5. Submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements. 
   If these five criteria are met, the servicemember’s or spouse’s covered license or certificate shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction for the duration of the military orders. 

The new law applies if: 

1. Your license is not covered by any interstate compacts; or
2. Your license was issued by a state that is covered by an interstate compact but is not covered by the same compact in the state to which you are relocating. 

The new law does NOT apply if your license is covered by the same interstate compact for both the state that issued your license AND the state that to which you are relocating. In this situation, the interstate compact will control whether and how you can practice in the new location. 

This pathway:

• May be pursued through either a Credential Review Consortium Institution (CRCI) or RIDE Credential Review
• Requires compliance with current RI certification requirements, including RI testing requirements 

Educators pursuing this pathway should follow the following steps:

1. Reach out to the point of contact for the appropriate organization
2. Review results from the Credential Review
3. Decide and take action 

For information regarding which institutions perform credential reviews for each certificate area, please see this document.

Contact Information for Consortium Institutions: 

Rhode Island-certified teachers with four (4) years of successful teaching experience in RI public schools may be eligible to add an additional certificate by passing the current approved content assessments.  

Experienced Educators Adding Certificates At a Glance

Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-11-9, educators with 10 years of experience may be eligible to earn PK-12 Building Level Administrator certification by completing the following requirements:

• Holds a master's degree or higher
• Has a minimum of 10 years of experience as a teacher or support professional rated "effective" or "highly effective"
• Has a record of consistent leadership with the Local Education Agency (LEA), demonstrated through serving as a facilitator of professional learning, dean, district coach, department chair, or in another leadership position within the school or LEA
• Letter of recommendation from the superintendent of the LEA in which the educator is employed or was employed in the past
• Passed all knowledge of field assessment requirements
• Has completed coursework in school finance, school law, and supervision of school personnel
• Has completed a year-long internship in the LEA where employed
• Has lead a district- or school-wide initiative
• Has completed a leadership development program (If coursework in school finance, school law, and supervision of personnel was completed at a RI-approved program, an applicant may take a course in program evaluation, including data analysis, in lieu of the leadership development program).