The State of Rhode Island Public Education

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Teachers

Our education system

Teacher demographics

Rhode Island’s teacher workforce is significantly less diverse than its student body.

Rhode Island teachers
2012
White
Non-white
Teachers nationwide
2012
White
Non-white

Note: As above, the group names are reported here the same way they are reported in the original source. This holds true throughout the State of Public Education data tool.

Source
  1. Ulrich Boser, “Teacher Diversity Revisited: A New State-by-State Analysis,” Center for American Progress (May 2014), p. 8, accessed October 14, 2015, https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/TeacherDiversity.pdf.

Teacher preparation

Our teacher preparation programs are starting to reflect greater diversity in their teacher candidates. And while the number of candidates graduating from traditional preparation programs has dipped in recent years, an alternative program—Teach For America—has been adding new teachers.

Rhode Island teacher preparation program
enrollment by race/ethnicity
2012–2013 2013–2014
White
Black or African American
Hispanic/Latino
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Two or more races
White
Black or African American
Hispanic/Latino
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Two or more races

Note: Percentages are calculated using enrollment among candidates for whom race/ethnicity is reported (1,899 candidates in 2012–2013; 1,937 candidates in 2013–2014). All ten Rhode Island preparation programs reported race/ethnicity figures. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

Rhode Island teacher preparation program
enrollment by gender
2012–2013 2013–2014
Female
Male
Female
Male
Rhode Island teacher preparation program selectivity
2012 2013
Preparation program* Median GPA of accepted individuals at admission
Teach for America3.6
Rhode Island College, postgraduate3.5
Brown University, undergraduate3.4
Providence College, undergraduate3.4
Rhode Island School of Design, postgraduate3.4
University of Rhode Island, postgraduate3.4
Providence College, postgraduate3.3
Rhode Island College, undergraduate3.3
University of Rhode Island, undergraduate3.3
Johnson & Wales University, postgraduate3.2
Roger Williams University, undergraduate3.2
Roger Williams University, postgraduate3.1
Salve Regina University, undergraduate3.1
Brown University, postgraduate3.0
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Preparation program* Median GPA of accepted individuals at admission
Rhode Island College, postgraduate3.9
University of Rhode Island, postgraduate3.8
Providence College, postgraduate3.6
Teach For America3.6
Rhode Island College, undergraduate3.5
Brown University, undergraduate3.4
Providence College, undergraduate3.4
Rhode Island School of Design, postgraduate3.4
Salve Regina University, undergraduate3.4
University of Rhode Island, undergraduate3.3
Roger Williams University, undergraduate3.2
Roger Williams University, postgraduate3.1
Brown University, postgraduate3.0
Brown University, postgraduate3.0
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*Bryant University did not report data.

Credential areas pursued by teaching candidates in Rhode Island preparation programs
2013–2014* 2012–2013*
Elementary Education (Grades 1–6)
Elementary/Middle Special Education (Grades K–8)
Secondary Social Studies (Grades 7–12)
Secondary English (Grades 7–12)
Early Childhood Education (Grades PK–2)
Secondary Mathematics (Grades 7–12)
Secondary Biology (Grades 7–12)
Health (Grades PK–12)
Physical Education (Grades PK–12)
Secondary General Science (Grades 7–12)
Music (Grades PK–12)
Middle/Secondary Special Education (Grade 7–12)
Special Education (no grades specified)
Adapted Physical Education (Grades PK–12)
Secondary World Language (Grades 7–12)-Spanish
Art (Grades PK–12)
Special Education-Severe Intellectual Disability (Grades PK–12)
Secondary Chemistry (Grades 7–12)
Early Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 2)
Secondary Education (no subject specified)
Secondary Physics (Grades 7–12)
Technology Education (Grades PK–12)
Business Education
Secondary World Language (Grades 7–12)-Chinese
Secondary World Language (Grades 7–12)-Italian
Secondary World Language (Grades 7–12)-French
Elementary Education Teacher, Grades 1–6
Elementary/Middle Special Education Teacher, Grades K-8
Secondary Grades English Teacher, Grades 7–12
Early Childhood Education Teacher, Grades PK-2
Secondary Grades Social Studies Teacher, Grades 7–12
Secondary Grades Mathematics Teacher, Grades 7–12
All Grades Physical Education Teacher, Grades PK–12
All Grades Music Teacher, Grades PK–12
Secondary Grades Biology Teacher, Grades 7–12
Secondary Grades World Language Teacher, Grades 7–12 – Spanish
All Grades Adapted Physical Education Teacher, Grades PK–12
All Grades Health Teacher, Grades PK–12
Middle/Secondary Special Education Teacher, Grades 7–12
Secondary Grades General Science Teacher, Grades 7–12
All Grades Art Teacher, Grades PK–12
Secondary Grades Chemistry Teacher, Grades 7–12
Early Childhood Special Education Teacher, Birth Through Grade 2
Secondary Grades World Language Teacher, Grades 7–12 – French
All Grades Special Education – Severe Intellectual Disability Teacher
All Grades Technology Education Teacher, Grades PK–12
Secondary Grades World Language Teacher, Grades 7–12 – Chinese
Secondary Grades World Language Teacher, Grades 7–12 – Latin

*Salve Regina University did not report data in 2013–2014. The table includes only self-reported numbers from teacher preparation programs and may not contain the full number of candidates prepared in each credential area.

*Bryant University and Johnson & Wales University did not report data in 2012–2013. The table includes only self-reported numbers from teacher preparation programs and may not contain the full number of candidates prepared in each credential area.

Note: Percentages do not add to 100 due to rounding.

Distribution of candidates completing Rhode Island teacher preparation programs
2014–2015 2013–2014 2012–2013 2011–2012
Brown University
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
Teach for America
University of Rhode Island
Brown University
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
Teach for America
University of Rhode Island
Brown University
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
Teach for America
University of Rhode Island
Brown University
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
Teach for America
University of Rhode Island

*Bryant University and Johnson & Wales University did not report data. However, the statewide total number of program completers does include those universities, and therefore percentages do not add to 100.

Number of candidates completing teacher preparation programs in Rhode Island, by route
2004–2005 2008–2009 2011–2012 2012–2013 2013–2014
Traditional preparation programs989832719715594
Alternative preparation programs00232426
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Sources
  1. Graphs 1, 2, 4, 6: “Rhode Island 2014 Title II Report,” U.S. Department of Education, accessed December 14, 2015, https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx.
  2. Graphs 3, 5: “Rhode Island Educator Preparation Index,” Rhode Island Department of Education, accessed December 14, 2015, http://www3.ride.ri.gov/RIEdPrepIndex/.
  3. Graph 6: “The Secretary’s Sixth Annual Report on Teacher Quality,” U.S. Department of Education (2009), accessed December 14, 2015, https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Title_II_09.pdf.
  4. Graph 6: “Rhode Island: AY 2009-10 State Snapshot: Teacher Preparation Programs,” U.S. Department of Education, accessed December 14, 2015, https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Snapshot2012/RI.pdf.

Teacher effectiveness

Rhode Island districts may choose between several state-approved teacher evaluation systems, and much of the data used to evaluate teachers is locally driven—therefore districts report a wide range of teacher effectiveness results. Overall, the vast majority of teachers are rated effective or highly effective.

Percentage of teachers rated in each effectiveness category, statewide
2013–2014 2012–2013
Ineffective
Developing
Effective
Highly Effective
Ineffective
Developing
Effective
Highly Effective
Percentage of teachers rated effective or highly effective
2012–2013
Sources
  1. Graph 1: “RI Educator Evaluation Systems: Improving Teaching and Learning,” Rhode Island Department of Education (October 2014), p. 4, accessed December 14, 2015, http://www.ride.ri.gov/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Teachers-and-Administrators-Excellent-Educators/Educator-Evaluation/Education-Eval-Main-Page/FER_Year2_Report_Final.pdf.
  2. Graph 2: “LEA-Level Evaluation Results 2012-13,” Rhode Island Department of Education, accessed January 22, 2015, http://www.ride.ri.gov/TeachersAdministrators/EducatorEvaluation.aspx#12760-annual-reports.