Commissioner’s Memo to Friends of Education
After more than a year of discussion, many informal meetings with interested stakeholders, four hearings, 14 public meetings, and nearly 400 pieces of written feedback, I’m excited to announce that the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve updated educator certification regulations. These updates, informed by extensive input from the field, increase practical experience for teacher pre-service candidates, open additional pathways into the profession for shortage areas, and re-establish an ongoing professional learning requirement for all educators.
The vote comes less than a week after we released RICAS results, and signifies another common-sense step forward in our efforts to implement a long-term, comprehensive strategy to improve teaching and learning.
The majority of these changes go into effect June 1, 2019, unless otherwise noted. The changes include:
Increasing hands-on experience for teacher candidates from 12 weeks of student teaching to a one-year residency or equivalent experience over the course of the program. (December 31, 2022)
Starting with certificates that expire in August 2020, phasing in a requirement for ongoing professional learning for certified educators. (August 2020). Teachers seeking professional or advanced certificates will be required, once fully phased in, to complete the equivalent of 20 professional learning units annually. Professional learning communities – teachers helping teachers – are an allowable activity to fulfill this requirement. Teachers seeking initial certificates will be required to complete, once fully phased in, the equivalent of 30 professional learning units annually. The higher number of PLUs for beginning teachers will support efforts to increase the kinds of induction, mentoring, and coaching activities that we know are impactful as teachers enter the profession.
Awarding full reciprocity to certified teachers from Massachusetts and Connecticut in most certificate areas.
Establishing endorsement areas on teacher certifications, or demonstrated areas of competence short of a full certification, with initial endorsements established in reading/dyslexia and English language learners. (Effective Date TBD)
Aligning teacher degree requirements in Career and Technical Education (CTE) with industry expectations, supplemented with additional teacher preparation program coursework.
To be consistent with the certification requirements of all school-based clinicians, requiring a nursing degree for certification as a Registered School Nurse, with supplemental school-based practice competencies to be acquired during the period of the initial certification.
The regulations also include provisions:
Ensuring principals participate in the process that determines/defines their salary, benefits, and conditions of employment, resulting in a written agreement
Establishing a streamlined pathway for educators to add bilingual/dual language certification to ESL certification or add ESL certification to bilingual/dual language.
Establishing an Expert Residency Shortages Preliminary Certificate for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree and have demonstrated subject-matter competence in the shortage area.
In shortage areas, giving teachers with relevant career experience or expertise seven years to earn certification – a three-year window with a four-year renewal, while the teacher is provided with mentoring support by the district – as opposed to seven one-year renewals. (Effective date TBD)
Establishing cultural competence as a shortage area in the Rhode Island educator workforce, thereby opening an alternate recruitment pathway. RIDE will work with the field to develop a definition of and competencies for cultural competence, which must be brought back to the Council for approval before implementation. (Effective date TBD)
Allowing certified teachers to be employed for a maximum of 20 percent of time in a subject or grade level for which he or she does not hold a certificate, provided there is evidence of competence and the Superintendent and teacher mutually agree. Superintendents must obtain a waiver from the Commissioner and notify the local union prior to requesting the waiver.
Recognizing National Board Certification, advanced degrees from institutions of higher education, shortage area certification, and national recognitions such as Milken Award, State Teacher of the Year, and Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) as conditions for advanced certification, provided that the educator still acquires the necessary professional learning units.
Requiring LEAs to develop, in collaboration with employed educators, a professional learning plan and to conduct a needs assessment for professional learning.
Eliminating the requirement for certified special education directors to also hold principal certification.
Adding the school business administrator certification as a shortage area.
Clarifying substitute teacher requirements to define the difference between a day-to-day substitute and a long-term substitute as an individual who is employed, on a temporary basis, for fewer than or more than 45 consecutive days in the same assignment, and allowing those with an associate’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or two years of college completion on track to a four year degree, may serve as a day-to-day substitute teacher.
LEAs must notify RIDE within 15 days of any arrest, indictment or conviction of a certified educator for any misdemeanor or felony, as well as any allegations regarding physical abuse or sexual or romantic activity. (Effective immediately)
The full list of changes can be viewed on the RIDE website, where you can also learn more about the process to develop these regulations.