Rhode Island Educ. Statistics
Avg. Elem. Teacher Salary | $65,020 |
Avg. Sec. Teacher Salary | $64,550 |
Teacher Retention (?) | 97% |
Average Admin. Salary | $93,520 |
Vacation Wks/Yr | 15 |
Learn how to become a teacher in Rhode Island (or administrator). Choose the description of certification you are most interested in or situation that best describes you:
Avg. Elem. Teacher Salary | $65,020 |
Avg. Sec. Teacher Salary | $64,550 |
Teacher Retention (?) | 97% |
Average Admin. Salary | $93,520 |
Vacation Wks/Yr | 15 |
Investing in our future is vitally important and strangely difficult. In order to fight oppression from the greedy and power-hungry elite, to better our ways of life with advancing technology, and to increase our country's overall views toward the concept of acceptance, we need education to be a priority. Learn how you can be a spoke in this terribly important wheel. See how Rhode Island measures up to the rest of the country by viewing the percentage of state revenue going toward education in each state. (see State Education Spending vs. Overall State Revenue).
Aspiring Rhode Island educators interested in teaching in these grades and content areas will find their skills in particularly high-demand. Find schools offering teaching certification programs in Rhode Island.
USC Rossier Master of Arts in Teaching Online — No GRE *
Fordham University’s online Master of Science in Teaching
Fordham University’s online Master of Science in Teaching program prepares students for NY state initial teaching licensure in grades 1 to 6. Complete in two years—bachelor’s degree required to apply.
The Rhode Island Department of Education’s (RIDE) Office of Educator Quality and Certification (eqac@ride.ri.gov) requires that as a candidate for teacher certification, you meet the federal government’s definition of Highly Qualified. This means that you must have earned a bachelor’s degree awarded by an educator preparation program approved by RIDE, and passed examinations as detailed below.
If you complete an educator preparation program in another state, RIDE should approve your credits if that program is accredited by either the National Association of State Directors for Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) or the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Depending upon your program’s requirements, you may have to complete additional coursework and/or pass examinations to gain full teacher certification in Rhode Island. Transcript analysis will determine in which areas, if any, you are deficient.
Perhaps you completed your teacher preparation program in another country. If so, you must have your academic credentials evaluated by one of the agencies listed on this page.
Certification Options
There are three types of teaching certificates in Rhode Island:A list of certification requirements for each content area/grade level may be found here.
Visit the Praxis website for a summary of examinations required for educator certification in Rhode Island.
Basic skills testing:
If you wish to become a certified teacher in Rhode Island, you must pass the Praxis I Pre-Professional Skills Test in Math (score of 179), Reading (score of 179) and Writing (score of 177), or a composite score of at least 535. This test is usually required prior to enrollment in your Rhode Island educator preparation program. Exemptions from this test may be made if:Content area assessment testing:
All Rhode Island educators must pass Praxis II content tests in their chosen area(s) of certification, as well pedagogy tests in these areas. Independent certification areas are listed in bold, while dependent certification areas are listed in italics under the certification area on which they are dependent and which you must first hold in order to gain this certification:RIDE mandates that all prospective teachers seeking state certification complete 60 hours of field experience and 12 weeks of student teaching. Field experience, also known as a practicum, entails observing classroom teachers at work and possibly assisting or taking over instruction of the class from time to time.
Your student teaching assignment will place you into a classroom congruent with the grade level/content area you wish to teach. This will involve sitting in for a teacher and taking responsibility for instruction, classroom management, and daily duties of the regular classroom teacher for a period of no less than 12 weeks.
During both the field experience and the student teaching experience, you will interact with a diverse group of students and teachers in a variety of educational settings. Experienced teachers and faculty members will assist you in learning to interact effectively with students and teachers whose backgrounds differ from yours.
Send all of the above documents to Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Educator Quality and Certification, 255 Westminster Street, 4th Floor, Providence, RI 02903-3400.
As part of the educator certification process in Rhode Island, you must disclose any criminal history on your application form. Prior to any contact with children (i.e., before field experiences or student teaching), you must complete the criminal background check process. Your college/university will provide you with the correct authorization forms and directions on how to go about this process. You may also inquire about this process directly through the Department of Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification, 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903 (401-274-4400).
After the background check is completed, you must carry a copy of it with you at all times while in your field experience and during your student teaching assignment.
For more information, contact schools offering approved teacher preparation programs in Rhode Island.
If you require more information on educator certification in Rhode Island, contact the Rhode Island Department of Education’s (RIDE) Office of Educator Quality and Certification at eqac@ride.ri.gov.
**Teacher Retention Sources - U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education, Statistics Schools and Staffing Survey, 1999–2000 (“Public School Teacher Questionnaire,” “Private School Teacher Questionnaire,” and “Public Charter School Teacher Questionnaire”), and 2000–01 Teacher Follow-up Survey (“Questionnaire for Current Teachers” and “Questionnaire for Former Teachers,” Table 1.01). Washington, DC.
State estimations based on analysis by Richard Ingersoll, Professor of Education and Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, from the National Center for Education Statistics Student and Staffing Survey, and therefore include a slight margin of error.