2023 -- H 5794
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LC001757
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS
Introduced By: Representatives Giraldo, Morales, Kislak, Casimiro, Cruz, Potter, Voas,
and Biah
Date Introduced: February 22, 2023
Referred To: House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 16-11-2.3 and 16-11-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-11 entitled 1
"Certification of Teachers [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" 2
are hereby amended to read as follows: 3
16-11-2.3. Standardized testing — Issuance of certificates. 4
(a) No person who obtained an initial certificate prior to January 8, 2002 shall be barred 5
from certification under this chapter solely because of his or her score on any standardized teacher’s 6
examination; provided, however, that he or she successfully completes an assessment, based on 7
criteria established by the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, in accordance 8
with 34 CFR § 200.56. 9
(b) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education may administer a written 10
examination to prospective teachers seeking certification. 11
(c) Effective July 1, 2023, all currently certified teachers as of July 1, 2023, shall have their 12
certifications automatically extended for three (3) years, without fee or penalty. This shall include 13
all teacher certifications issued by the board of education or the department of education, including, 14
but not limited to, emergency certifications with conditions. 15
(d) In order to promote teacher recruitment, for the three (3) year period from July 1, 2023, 16
through to June 30, 2026 (the "period"), the board of education shall waive all fees to apply for a 17
teacher initial certification for that period, and shall waive all Praxis examination fees for that year 18
period. 19
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16-11-3. Certificates without examination. 1
(a) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education may, in its discretion, 2
issue certificates of qualification without examination to persons who may present evidence of 3
qualification and shall comply with the regulations of the board. Provided, that any teacher who is 4
certified in two (2) fields or subjects of science, other than general science, shall also be 5
automatically certified in the field or subject of general science without the need for examination 6
or other proof of qualifications in the subject of general science. 7
(b) Any teacher holding a valid Rhode Island teacher certification and who has at least 8
three (3) years of certified teaching experience, shall be allowed to acquire an additional 9
certification(s) through examination or content coursework so long as the teacher has a minimum 10
of three (3) years of certified teaching experience. 11
SECTION 3. Chapter 16-11 of the General Laws entitled "Certification of Teachers [See 12
Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding 13
thereto the following section: 14
16-11-11. Educator preparation programs. 15
The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall review and 16
revise as necessary its rules and regulations governing the licensure of teachers and administrators. 17
The rules and regulations shall be revised so as to create and permit multiple pathways and 18
flexibility in the credential requirements for both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate degrees to 19
obtain teacher or administrator certification. In so promulgating these rules and regulations, or 20
revisions thereto, the department may incorporate awarding credit for non-traditional classes, 21
work/life experience that is deemed tantamount to formal classwork, and permitting teacher and 22
administrator candidates to obtain course credit by demonstrating course competency through a test 23
or other demonstration of competency so as to allow waiver of the course and to provide credit for 24
the course. 25
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage. 26
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS
***
This act would extend teacher certifications without fee or penalty for three (3) years for 1
teachers who hold certifications as of July 1, 2023. In addition, during this period, fees for initial 2
certification and for the Praxis examination to certification fees would also be waived. This act 3
would permit a teacher who has three (3) years of certified teaching experience, to acquire an 4
additional certification through examination or content coursework. This act would also direct the 5
department of elementary and secondary education to revise its regulations pertaining to 6
certification to create multiple pathways to obtain teacher and administrator certification. 7
This act would take effect upon passage. 8
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