Renewal of Teaching Certification

Your Initial Rhode Island Teaching License is good for 3 years. You have to complete the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Induction Program, consisting of mentoring and individualized support, during this period. You will be assessed on your professional practice and your impact on student achievement and growth. To apply for your Professional License, you have to have obtained local school district annual assessment ratings of “Highly Effective” or “Effective.” The Professional License is good for 5 years.

Renewing your Professional License requires 5 assessment ratings (one for each year), one of which has to be at the “Developing” level or higher. If you have 4 ratings at the “Highly Effective” level and no ratings below the “Effective” level, you can apply for an Advanced License. The Advanced License is good for seven years. Receiving “Ineffective” assessment ratings every year of the life of your license would make you ineligible for renewal.

Professional development is not mandatory for license renewal at this time. However, school districts usually require some PD from their teachers. 

Teaching Certification Reinstatement

If your license has lapsed, or you could not renew it due to inadequate performance assessments, you can be able to have it reinstated.

Did your teaching license expire less than 5 years ago? If so, you can apply for reinstatement. Contact RIDE for an application at [email protected]. If it lapsed more than 5 years ago, you have to re-apply for an Initial License.

Was your license not renewed due to inadequate performance assessments? You have to submit evidence verifying the completion of your educational requirements. Submit this to RIDE, along with an application for reinstatement.