Teacher Certification Requirements in Rhode Island

<h2 id="section---CareerOverview">Career Overview</h2> <p>Teachers are an integral part of any child's development. In Rhode Island, certification requirements vary based on grade level and specialization. The chart below shows the education requirements, job growth, and salary of teachers in Rhode Island. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Education Required</b> </td><td> Bachelor's degree</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>License Required</b> </td><td> Teaching license issued by the state of Rhode Island</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>License Validity</b> </td><td> Valid for three years</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Testing Required</b> </td><td> Passing scores on Praxis content and pedagogy exams</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Job Growth (2018-2028)</b> </td><td> 3% (kindergarten and elementary nationwide), 3% (middle school nationwide), 4% (high school nationwide)</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Median Salary (2018)</b></td><td> $71,990 (elementary), $72,180 (middle school), $71,440 (secondary school)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreTheJobDutiesOfATeacher">What Are The Job Duties of a Teacher?</h3> <p>Teachers work to educate students and help them grow as both scholars and people. Teachers are responsible for the creation of lesson plans, homework, and tests. Teachers measure student progress through grading projects, homework, and tests. Outside of the classroom, teachers may be responsible for supervising students in the halls, during lunch, and during recess. Additionally, teachers need to keep parents informed of their child's behavior and progress. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreTheCertificationRequirementsForAnElementarySchoolTeacherInRhodeIsland">What Are the Certification Requirements for an Elementary School Teacher in Rhode Island?</h3> <p>Elementary teachers in Rhode Island are required to have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university. Prospective elementary teachers are required to have a minimum of twelve weeks of student teaching at the elementary level and a minimum of sixty hours of field experience before they begin student teaching. They are also required to show that they have the appropriate pedagogical and subject matter competencies and are proficient in designing lessons and assessments that meet educational standards. The required tests are Principles of Learning and Teaching Grades K-6 (5622), Elementary Multiple Subjects Test (5001), Reading and Language Arts Subtest (5002), Mathematics Subtest (5003), Social Science Subtest (5004), and Science Subtest (5005). </p> <h3 id="section---CertificationRequirementsForMiddleSchoolAndSecondarySchoolTeachers">Certification Requirements for Middle School and Secondary School Teachers</h3> <p>All middle and secondary school teachers in Rhode Island are required to have a degree in their subject or a closely related subject, They are also required to have completed sixty hours of field experience prior to student teaching, twelve weeks of student teaching in their subject, be able to demonstrate that they are proficient in designing lessons and assessments that meet educational standards, and pass appropriate subject matter and pedagogy tests. The areas in which middle school teachers can become certified in are English, mathematics, science, social studies, special education, bilingual dual language, and English to speakers of other languages while secondary school teachers can become certified in agriculture, biology, business, career and technical education, chemistry, English, general science, mathematics, physics, social studies, special education, and bilingual dual language education. The list of mandatory tests can be found on the Praxis website. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreTheBackgroundCheckRequirements">What Are the Background Check Requirements?</h3> <p>Everyone employed by a public or private school in Rhode Island needs to undergo a background check. Applicants can complete the paperwork for their background check at the Bureau of Criminal Identification at the Office of Attorney General in Providence or at several police departments throughout the state. For a national background check, one must bring a valid ID, a letter of conditional employment, and a $35 check made out to BCI. For a state background check, one must bring a valid ID and a $5 check made out to BCI. </p> <h3 id="section---CanProspectiveTeachersEnrollInAnEducatorPreparationProgram">Can Prospective Teachers Enroll in an Educator Preparation Program?</h3> <p>Yes, the Rhode Island Department of Education has approved several educator preparation programs. Successful completion of these programs makes one eligible for full certification in the state of Rhode Island. The current list of approved educator preparation program providers is available on the Rhode Island Department of Education website. As programs are occasionally removed from this list it is integral that prospective teachers check the most updated list prior to enrolling. </p> <h3 id="section---AreThereAnyPlannedChangesToTeacherCertifications">Are There any Planned Changes to Teacher Certifications?</h3> <p>As of January 2020, teachers in Rhode Island will need to have evidence of professional learning in order to renew their license. Those with the three-year initial license will need to complete thirty professional learning units (PLUs) annually or ninety PLUs collectively. Those with professional five year or advanced seven-year certificates need to complete twenty PLUs annually or 100 PLUs collectively. The list of activities that grant PLUs can be found on the Rhode Island Department of Education website.</p>