Educator Recruitment

NEW for EPPs!  

RI Registered Apprenticeship Principal Program - RIDE is accepting Planning Grant applications  

The Rhode Island Department of Education is seeking 1-2 Educator Preparation Provider(s) (EPPs) to offer a high-quality, affordable program for aspiring principals to enter the profession through registered apprenticeship. The RI Registered Apprenticeship Principal Program (RIRAPP) Planning Grant is intended to fuel the program's initial planning and development. RIDE will award a $7,500 planning grant, on a competitive basis, to EPPs to support the development of a proposal for a Registered Apprenticeship, PK-12 Building-Level Administrator certificate program. 

RIDE will host two information sessions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend both. If you plan to attend either session, please email Julia Mann. 

The RIRAPP Planning Grant Information session will take place on 5/1/2024 at 3:00 PM. 

The Registered Apprenticeship Information session will take place on 5/2/2024 at 9:30 AM. 

Interested applicants should review the documents in the following order:  

  1. Planning Grant Overview and Guidance 
  2. Planning Grant Application 
  3. Scope of Work and Resources 
  4. RIRAPP Proposal Instructions 
  5. RIRAPP Proposal Submission 
  6. FAQs

Please submit any questions to this form by 4/30/2024. Any questions received will be posted and answered on the RIDE website as an addendum to this solicitation by 5/3/2024. 

Q&A:

The following questions were submitted in response to the RIRAPP Planning Grant solicitation posted on 4/22/2024.

  • Q: For a candidate to be considered viable for the apprenticeship, do they need to pass the ETS test before entering a role?
    •  A: RIRAPP building-level administrator apprentices will not be required to pass the Praxis exam upon entry. The RIRAPP Scope of Work document strongly encourages EPPs to include licensure support, such as test preparation and vouchers, in the program design. RIRAPP Planning Grant recipients will be expected to include this in the final submission.
  • Q: Does the candidate need to already have their masters? Is there flexibility around this during the apprenticeship?
    • A: Candidates will not be required to hold a master’s degree upon program entry. Per Rhode Island certification regulations, a building-level administrator must hold a master’s degree. The RIRAPP will accept proposals for programs that lead to a master’s degree or that require applicants to already hold the degree upon enrollment.
  • Q: If an EPP with a residency model has been previously approved by RIDE and the Department of Labor expectations are aligned to RIDE's standards for administrative preparation, can the EPP resubmit the previously approved submission and note additional shifts within the program that support the specific structure of an Apprenticeship model? For example, expand on the district partnership details that are specific to the apprenticeship model.
    • A: Educator Preparation Providers are encouraged to resubmit previously approved Building-Level Administrator certification programs with modifications to accommodate the requirements of the RIRAPP. 

The Rhode Island Department of Education will host multiple statewide job fairs to provide individuals with direct access to open opportunities in a wide range of education-focused areas. 

These job fairs will be held on April 3 from 3:30-7:30pm and June 22 from 9am-1pm at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. 

Register today!

 

Rhode Island, like other states across the nation, is experiencing teacher shortages; recruitment and hiring practices are a critical component in addressing these shortages. Research tells us to prioritize the hiring of a highly qualified, learner-ready, diverse educator workforce. The Equitable and Inclusive Hiring Practice Guidance is a compilation of promising recruitment, hiring, and onboarding practices developed for school and district leaders, HR professionals, and school-based hiring teams. These resources expand on RIDE’s continued focus to improve equity and inclusion throughout Rhode Island public schools. The video below aims to provide a brief overview of the guidance. 

Download the Guidance 

The Rhode Island Department of Education is excited to launch a second cohort for the RIDE Mentorship Program for Beginning Educators of Color. The program, which pairs experienced and novice educators of color, aims to create safe spaces, affirm identities and strengths, create leadership opportunities, and support new educators with instruction. In addition to mentoring sessions, the program consists of mandatory in-person and virtual training modules, communities of practice, and networking events.  

Mentorship
2022/23 Cohort
Cohort 2 Photo
2023/24 Cohort

The Rhode Island Department of Education launched Educate401.org, an online recruitment and resource hub for current and prospective educators. The website highlights the best of Rhode Island and offers a clear and user-friendly certification roadmap that guides aspiring teachers through the process of becoming certified educators in Rhode Island. From application requirements to professional development opportunities, Educate401 is an invaluable tool for anyone considering a career in education. Educate401 also features a dynamic job board that connects professionals with openings in Rhode Island’s diverse and vibrant educational landscape. The job board offers a wide range of career opportunities in various educational settings. To explore Educate401 and learn more, please visit www.educate401.org.

 

Educator Vacancy Dashboard

As researchers and experts work to understand and predict educator vacancies, emergent research shows that educator staffing challenges are often highly localized and dependent upon local context. In Rhode Island, all hiring of teachers and personnel at the local level by school districts. With these considerations, the Rhode Island Department of Education's (RIDE) 2021- 2027 Strategic Plan commits to supporting LEAs in the development of strategies to attract, recruit, and retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce that reflects Rhode Island’s students. 

RIDE has developed an informative dashboard that helps to understand the landscape of educator vacancies.