Educator Certification Regulations

1. Educator CertificationRegulations effective August 2020 A Quick Guide to What You Need to Know

2. Background The RI Department of Education and the RI Board of Education began working on the new certification regulations almost 2 years ago. During that time Local Education Union Presidents engaged in many informal conversations as well as attended public meetings to testify against many of the original components of the regulations that we felt were too arduous and/or unfair to teachers. The result was the lowering of required professional development hours necessary to recertify, shared ownership among districts and teachers rather than sole responsibility falling on teachers, a greater increase in options counting towards required hours, and much more. Please let this serve as a reminder of how important it is to stay informed through your general membership meetings and to stay active to help your leadership advocate for what is right for our profession.

3. Effective 1/1/2020, “Professional Learning” will be Required for the Renewal of Teaching Certificates Professional Learning Units (PLUs) will be required and phased in starting with certificates that expire in August of 2020. Teachers renewing Professional or Advanced certificates will be required, once fully phased in, to complete the equivalent of 20 PLUs annually =100 over 5 years. Teachers transitioning from Initial to Professional certificates will be required, once fully phased in, to complete the equivalent of 30 PLUs annually = 90 over 3 years. Effective 1/2/2020, final effectiveness ratings will no longer be a requirement for renewal or progression of certificates.

4. New Certification Regulations Approved December 4, 2018 Effective January 1, 2019 Eligibility to Reinstate Certification: *Section 1.14 of Regulations Governing Certification in RI

5. PLUs Phase-in: Initial 3-Year Certificates The amount of professional learning units required will be phased in between 2020 and 2025. Beginning in 2020, applicants will submit the professional learning units outlined in the chart below: 8 *Section 1.8.2 of Regulations Governing Certification in RI

6. Renewal Of Initial (3-Year) Certificates: Not employed* during the 3 years Employed* fewer than 3 years Employed* fewer than 3 years with leave of absence Employed* all 3 years • No PLUs • Renew as 3-YR Initial • No PLUs • Renew as 3-YR Initial • Prorated number of PLUs based on years worked • Letter confirming Leave status • Progress to 5YR Professional • Appropriate number of PLUs (See Phase-In chart) • Progress to 5-YR Professional 9 * In a publicly funded educational setting

7. PLUs Phase-in: CurrentProfessional 5-Year Certificates Section 1.8.3 Regulations Governing Certification in RI

8. PLUs Initial 3 -Year to Professional 5-Year Certificates . Section 1.8.3 Regulations Governing Certification in RI

9. Renewal of 5-Year Professional Certificates & Progression to 7-Year Advanced Professional Certificates Employed* all 5 years and Eligible for Advanced Certificate Not employed* during the 5 years Employed* fewer than 5 years with leave of absence Employed* all 5 years • No PLUs • Renew as 5-YR Professional • Prorated number of PLUs based on years worked • Letter confirming leave status • Renew as 5-YR Professional • Appropriate # of PLUs (See phase-In chart) • Renew as 5-YR Professional • Appropriate # of PLUs • 5 years of employment • Meet any one aspirational benchmark • Progress to 7-YR Advanced Professional * In a publicly funded educational setting

10. High-Quality Professional Learning (HQPL) Definition High-Quality Professional Learning (HQPL) consists of a set of coherent learning experiences that are relevant, purposeful, and systematic. HQPL enables educators to impact student learning and well-being through the acquisition and application of knowledge, skills, and abilities that address the whole child. HQPL conforms to best practices in research and relates directly to the educator’s professional context (i.e. grade level, content area, and role) through which the learning is applied. PD activities that improve, enhance, or increase: 1.) subject matter/content knowledge and skills, 2.) pedagogical knowledge or pedagogical content knowledge and skills, 3.) curriculum implementation knowledge and skills, 4.) enhance educator effectiveness. 5.) students’ social emotional well being * In a publicly funded educational setting

11. What Counts for PLUs? Any college level coursework from an accredited institution District sanctioned PD (Hours count for presenter as well) Common Planning time Meetings (as defined and documented by HQPL) DATA ANALYSIS MEETINGS (as defined and documented by HQPL) Education Related: Online Webinars, Ted Talks, Podcasts, Conferences & Workshops related to teaching/learning or the specialty of the teacher Any PD hours approved by the district to meet contractual requirements AFT ER&D offerings Curriculum work sanctioned by the district National Board Certification Coaching/Mentoring/Induction Activities Proficiency Based Learning and Micro-Credentials Activities associated with Coventry Teacher Evaluation PDP or PIP If your certificate expires in 2020, you may count hours you have accrued since July 1, 2018.

12. What Counts for PLUs? Administrators Administrator staff meetings (as defined and documented by HQPL) Principal meetings (as defined and documented by HQPL) Summer Retreat days (as defined and documented by HQPL) Any college level coursework from an accredited Institution Curriculum work sanctioned by the district Proficiency Based Learning and Micro-Credentials Activities associated with Coventry Administrator Evaluation PDP or PIP

13. Assigning Valueto PLU Activities To help translate activities into PLUs, guidance is provided for how to convert common professional learning activities into units: • 1 hour of a professional learning activity = 1 PLU • 1 college credit = 15 PLUs • 1 demonstrated competency (tbd-RIDE) = 5-10 PLUs • 1 component of National Board Certification = 45 PLUs • Completion of National Board = 180 PLUs • Renewal of National Board = 90 PLUs 16 *Section 1.8.5.F of Regulations Governing Certification in RI

14. Approval and Record Keeping of PLUs • All educator / administrator PLUs will be approved and verified by the district in accordance with the District Professional Learning Plan. • PLUs for Superintendents will be approved by the chair of the school committee. • Educators are responsible for the completion of PLUs and must maintain records of all activities that attest to participation in the activity and the PLUs earned. The district will also provide employer verification forms to employees. • Records must be available upon request to RIDE, if selected for audit. • RIDE will audit a percentage of renewal applications each year to ensure the professional learning requirement is being implemented as required by the new regulations. 17 * Sections 1.8.5.D, 1.8.5 I, 1.8.5 J of Regulations Governing Certification in RI

15. Tracking & Submission of PLUs for RIDE • Educators must keep track of documentation that notes the specific professional learning activity, proof of participation, and # of PLUs earned. • Beginning in 2020,educators will continue to submit an application for recertification. The district will then use an electronic sign-off to attest that the educator has fulfilled his/her PLU requirements for certification. • Educators will have the evidence gathered from bullet #1 and submit to RIDE only if they are chosen to be audited.

16. Teacher Verification Form (Handout): The district provided employer verification form for Teachers (previously mentioned). • Components of the Teacher Verification Form: • Part 1: District Aligned & Supervised Professional Learning Opportunities • Listing of the activity, number of maximum hours to be accrued, administrator verification • Part 2:Teacher Selected Professional Learning Opportunities • Listing of the activity, hours, supporting documentation and administrator verification • link to Teacher Verification Form

17. Administrator Verification Form (Handout): The district provided employer verification form for Administrators. • Components of the Administrator Verification Form: • Part 1: District Aligned & Supervised Professional Learning Opportunities • Listing of the activity, number of maximum hours to be accrued, administrator verification • Part 2:Self-Selected Professional Learning Opportunities • Listing of the activity, hours, supporting documentation and administrator verification • link to Administrator Verification Form

18. Other Certification Changes at a Glance: Bilingual Dual Language Certificate eligibility for ESL Certificate ESL Certificate eligibility for Bilingual Dual Language Assignments Career & Tech Certificates: Alignment to Industry Standards Hiring & Assignment flexibility: 20% Rule (teacher/union consent) District Level Special Education Administrator Changes Registered School Nurse Certificate (NOT School-Nurse Teacher) Special Provisional Certificate (OOPS once in career) Practical Residence for Pre-Service Teachers (1 Yr. could be over multiple terms. 60 hours field experience required prior to residency) Effective 12/31/2022 New Endorsements (TBD) New definitions of “Substitute Teachers” American Sign Language added as all grades World Language Certificate option Those who hold “All Grades” certs. can now apply for Special Education cert-once Special Ed. coursework is complete (itinerants). Inter-state flexibility (NOT QUITE RECIPROCITY) District Reporting Misconduct

19. Q and A See you in May! Part 2: May 9th- General Membership Meeting