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 educator of record

Career and Technical Education: Awarded to educators who have a high school diploma and have demonstrated appropriate work experience

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

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

Fast-Track Principal: Awarded to educators who have meet 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

Emergency Certification: Awarded to educators who have some relevant coursework and have been hired by a school district who requests they be emergency certified

Expert Residency

Expert Residency certificates are awarded to educators who have a bachelor's degree with a major or equivalent in their content area and have passed the appropriate RI assessments.

Expert Residency Requirements

Expert Residency Renewal Requirements

Expert Residency Application

Alternative Route

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 educator of record.

Alternative Route Overview

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

CTE certificates are awarded to educators who have a high school diploma and have demonstrated appropriate work experience.

CTE Requirements

CTE Application and Work Verification Form

Temporary Initial

Temporary Initial certificates are awarded to educators who seek certification through reciprocity but have not yet met RI testing requirements.

Temporary Initial Overview

Temporary Initial Application

School Nurse Teacher

The School Nurse Teacher (SNT) certificate is awarded to educators who have met the preliminary requirements.

SNT Requirements

SNT Application

Fast-Track Principal

FAST-TRACK PRINCIPAL CERTIFICATES

We are excited to share two new pathways that open up opportunities for experienced teacher leaders (10 years or more) to become building level administrators. These are additional ways 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 can be found on this page.

Fast Track Principal Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate	Building-Level Administrator PK-12 Fast-Track Certificate
Requirements for Issuance	Requirements for Issuance
Renewal/Progression Requirements	Progression Requirements
Once an individual completes all renewal requirements, they are eligible to progress to a Building-Level Administrator PK-12 Fast-Track certificate, on which they will only need to complete a RIDE-approved leadership development program. *An individual may complete a RIDE-approved leadership development program on this certificate and progress to a full Professional Building-Level Administrator PK-12 certificate.	Upon completion of the requirements listed above, the individual is eligible to progress to a full Professional Building-Level Administrator PK-12 certificate.
Valid for one (1) year with up to three (3) renewals Allows individuals to serve as an administrator of record if they meet the minimum requirements below	Valid for three (3) years During the 3-year period, individuals can work as an administrator of record using this certificate
Minimum of ten (10) years of experience as a teacher or support professional	Minimum of ten (10) years of experience as a teacher or support professional
Highly Effective or Effective ratings	Highly Effective or Effective ratings
Holds master's degree or higher	Holds master's degree or higher
Consistent record of leadership demonstrated by serving as a PL (professional learning) facilitator, dean, coach, department chair, or other leadership position in the school or local education agency (LEA)	a. Consistent record of leadership demonstrated by serving as a PL (professional learning) facilitator, dean, coach, department chair, or other leadership position in the school or local education agency (LEA) AND b. Lead a district-wide or school-wide initiative
Superintendent recommendation	Superintendent recommendation
Completed coursework in school finance, school law, and supervision of school personnel OR Evidence of passing score (151) on the School Leader Licensure assessment (6990)	Completed coursework in school finance, school law, and supervision of school personnel AND Evidence of passing score (151) on the School Leader Licensure assessment (6990)
Internship is not required for issuance of expert residency, but must be completed during renewal	Completion of year-long (minimum 300 hours) internship at LEA where currently employed
In order to renew this certificate (up to 3 times), the individual must complete one or more of the following AND have superintendent recommendation - Completion of year-long (minimum 300 hours) internship at LEA where currently employed - Completion of the coursework OR assessment (listed above) that was not complete upon the initial issuance of the Expert Residency certificate	During the 3-year issuance period, individuals who completed the above coursework at institutions outside of the State of Rhode Island must complete a RIDE-approved leadership development program; however, individuals who completed the above coursework at an in-state institution of higher education may complete a course in program evaluation in lieu of a RIDE-approved leadership development program.

Applications

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

International Teacher

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) promotes the sponsorship of J-1 visas, enabling certified out-of-country PK-12 teachers to temporarily work in Rhode Island public schools. As an LEA, you have the opportunity to host certified international teachers of diverse national backgrounds within your district. International teachers can help fill shortage areas while increasing participation in cross-cultural activities in your schools and communities and enhancing Rhode Island students’ knowledge and value of foreign cultures and customs.

There are two certification pathways for out of country/ international teachers:

Preliminary International Teacher certificate

Currently, we are utilizing the Emergency application as a vehicle to issue the preliminary International Teacher certificate. This certificate is a preliminary certificate that allows international teachers to serve in RI public school settings on a temporary basis. The preliminary International Teacher application request must be submitted by a district whose intent is to hire an out of country teacher and has collaborated with a RIDE approved J-1/H-1B Visa provider.

To renew the International Teacher certificate, the LEA must attest that the international teacher has demonstrated satisfactory teaching in the assignment. The International certificate is only valid in the district where the application originated. https://www.naces.org/

Note: Currently, RIDE has requested that LEAs utilize the preliminary Emergency application to submit their request for a preliminary International Teacher certificate area. The issued International Teacher certificate is a one (1) year preliminary certificate. International teachers who hold a valid preliminary international certificate meet experience requirements, English proficiency, hold a valid out of country certificate, have evidence of US equivalency in the certificate area that aligns to the teaching assignment and hold valid J-1 or HB-1 visa. In meeting these requirements, the international teacher is allowed to teach in a RI public school setting on a temporary basis.

2. Full Initial Teacher certificate

An out of country teacher who has evidence of completion of a NACES Foreign Credential Review verifying US equivalency in a specific certificate area, meeting RI test requirements and experience are eligible to apply for a full Initial teacher certificate. In this instance, the international teacher would apply for the full Initial certificate.

Please reach out to the Educator Quality mailbox with additional questions - eqac@ride.ri.gov

J-1 Visa Teacher Sponsor 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 application review. Providers will receive a letter indicating their approval status.

Reciprocity

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.

Non-RI State-Approved Preparation Program Completer

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.

Out-of-State Certificate Holder

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.

Inter-State Flexibility

Educators who hold valid RI-like certificates or who have completed state-approved programs from the sixteen (16) 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

Connecticut	Maryland	Pennsylvania
Delaware	Massachusetts	South Carolina
District of Columbia	New Hampshire	Vermont
Florida	New Jersey	Virginia
Georgia	New York
Maine	North Carolina

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

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:

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.
Provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction.
Have actively used the license or certificate during the two years immediately preceding the move.
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.
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:

Your license is not covered by any interstate compacts; or
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.

Credential Review

A Credential Review allows individuals with content knowledge and experience a pathway into teaching without completing a full educator preparation program. Individuals can contact a consortium institution or the Rhode Island Department of Education, if applicable, for their individualized program of study.

Process

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:

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

Credential Review Institutions

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

Contact Information for Consortium Institutions:

Institution	Credential Review Contact
Johnson and Wales University	Cynthia Senenko Director of Teacher Education
Rhode Island College	Julie Horowitz Co- Graduate Director
Rhode Island College	Elizabeth Holtzman Director of RIC Credential Review Pathway
Roger Williams University Providence Campus	Gina Bianco Dean of University College
Roger Williams University Providence Campus	Lynne Bedard (CTE)
Roger Williams University Bristol Campus	Dr. Jeffrey Meriwether Dean of Humanities, Arts and Education
	Jenny Tsankova (MG/Secondary Math)
	Li-Ling Yang (MG/Secondary Science)
University of Rhode Island	Dolores Smith Program Contact Credential Review Pathway
Rhode Island Department of Education	Education Specialists Office of Educator Excellence and Certification Services Hilda Potrzeba Mary Keenan Rosemary Miner

Foreign Credentials

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.

Current RIDE-Approved Vendors

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

Fast-Track Building-Level Administrator

Educators can progress from the Fast-Track Principal Expert Residency Preliminary Certificate to the Building-Level Administrator PK-12 Fast-Track Certificate by meeting the requirements for issuance.

Building-Level Administrator PK-12 Fast-Track Certificate
Requirements for Issuance
Minimum of ten (10) years of experience as a teacher or support professional
Highly Effective or Effective ratings
Holds master's degree or higher
a. Consistent record of leadership demonstrated by serving as a PL (professional learning) facilitator, dean, coach, department chair, or other leadership position in the school or local education agency (LEA) AND b. Lead a district-wide or school-wide initiative
Superintendent recommendation
Completed coursework in school finance, school law, and supervision of school personnel AND Evidence of passing score (151) on the School Leader Licensure assessment (6990)
Completion of year-long (minimum 300 hours) internship at LEA where currently employed
During the 3-year issuance period, individuals who completed the above coursework at institutions outside of the State of Rhode Island must complete a RIDE-approved leadership development program; however, individuals who completed the above coursework at an in-state institution of higher education may complete a course in program evaluation in lieu of a RIDE-approved leadership development program.
Progression Requirements
Upon completion of the requirements listed above, the individual is eligible to progress to a full Professional Building-Level Administrator PK-12 certificate.

How to Get Certified

RI-Approved Program

Preliminary Certificates