Reminder:Council seeks public comment on proposed regulations on educator certification; hearing scheduled for September 22

The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education is seeking public comment on amended regulations intended to provide more flexibility to school districts as well as to eliminate barriers when school districts are seeking qualified teachers for school-district positions. On June 28, the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education approved for public comment for the proposed draft revisions to the Board of Education Regulations governing the certification for educators in Rhode Island.   

The proposed changes would:

• eliminate the Substitute Permit and the accompanying yearly fee, which would make the process more feasible for those interested in working in districts as substitute teachers. The revenue lost would be at the expense of the General Fund, not RIDE;
• eliminate the Athletic Coach Permit, which would not lower the standards for coaches being hired by school districts. The Interscholastic League requires that coaches hold valid CPR and First Aid certification and that they complete the Foundations of Coaching and concussion courses. RIDE would require the same process for Athletic Coach Permit eligibility. This change would move the responsibility to the district, ensuring that Athletic Coaches meet the eligibility requirements set by the Interscholastic League, and this change would remove the redundancy of coaches' having to repeat these assurances to RIDE, the Interscholastic League, and the school district; and
• change the Career and Technical Certification, which would move the current one-year preliminary certificate to a six-year preliminary certificate. This change would allow the Career-Technical Education (CTE) experts and CTE professionals to transition into the field of teaching and work toward full certification over a six-year period of time, without coming to RIDE on a yearly basis. This requirement has been a barrier for many who are moving from their technical fields in to the field of education.

The proposed draft regulations are available for public inspection in person at the RIDE, 255 Westminster Street, Providence, you can request a copy by contacting at Angela.Teixeira@ride.ri.gov or 222-8435.

A public hearing on the proposed draft regulations will take place on Thursday, September 22,at 5:30 p.m., at the Shepard Building (Room 501), 80 Washington St./255 Westminster St., Providence.