Information for Educators that will have their Certification Expire August 2026:
PLU SUBMISSION FORM
Source: Renewals and Reinstatements | RI Department of Education
Initial (3-Year) Certificate
Individuals seeking to progress from an Initial (3-Year) to a Professional certificate (5-Year) will be required to complete the equivalent of 30 PLUs annually, or a total of 90 PLUs. The following chart shows the pro-rated PLU amounts necessary between 2024 and 2025.
Professional (5-Year) Certificate
The number of professional learning units required will be phased in between 2020 and 2030. Beginning in 2030, the full (100) professional learning units will be required for the renewal of all Professional certificates.
Individuals who hold an initial certificate that expires between 2020 and 2025 and are issued a Professional certificate between 2020 and 2025 will submit the professional learning units outline in the Phase-In Schedule chart below.
Individuals who already hold a Professional certificate or an Advanced certificate as of December 31, 2019, will submit a pro-rated number of professional learning units as outlined in the Pro-Rated Renewal for Existing Holders chart below.
Advanced (7-Year) Certificate
Educators who hold a Professional certificate and achieve an aspirational benchmark in addition to the requisite PLUs, during the current certificate cycle, can progress to an Advanced (7-year) certificate. The employing district will indicate the completion of the aspirational benchmark. Evidence of aspirational benchmarks must be submitted to RIDE when renewing online on My eCert.
Aspirational benchmarks include:
National Board Certification (NBCT)
Conferral of an advanced degree
RIDE or national recognition (Milken Award, State Teacher of the Year, or Presidential Award for Math and Science)
Completion of NISL Executive Development Program or served as a NISL facilitator
Achieves additional RIDE certification in limited number of shortage areas identified by RIDE
One-Year Special Provisional Certificate
A One-Year Special Provisional Certificate may be issued to educators who hold Initial, Professional or Advanced Educator certificates and did not obtain approval of or did not complete professional learning unit requirements. Educators holding the Special Provisional certificate must complete the missing PLUs during this certificate's one-year cycle and submit evidence to the school/district to complete the electronic sign-off process.
Application Form for Special Provisional Certificate
Upon submission of required professional learning units at the expiration of the Special Provisional Certificate, the remaining time will be issued on the educator's full certificate. Failure to submit required professional learning units will result in the expiration of all certificates.
The Special Provisional certificate may only be issued once in an educator's career in Rhode Island and is not renewable.
