Pre-Employment Training Programs -
Persons employed as teacher assistants in RI schools after January 1, 1999 must have completed a training program approved by the RI Department of Education (RIDE). Teacher Assistant Training Programs are provided by a number of entities: community college, 4 year college, school districts, educational collaboratives, vocational programs, private schools and agencies, and individual consultants. Some of these programs are exclusively for “in-house” staff. However, most are available to any qualified applicant. The RI Department of Education supports and facilitates communication among these programs through a listserv and an annual networking session. The department has established an approval process for initial 3-year approval and approval renewal.
- Directory of RI Department of Education (RIDE) Approved Teacher Assistant Training Program – Click here (142KB / 8 pages) to access this Directory that provides contact information for each of these programs. The directory identifies both currently approved training programs and formerly approved training programs no longer in operation. The directory includes the initial approval date and the approval expiration date so that employers can verify if a TA's documentation of pre-employment training is from a RIDE approved program and if that training took place during a time in which the program was approved.
- Profiles of RI Department of Education (RIDE) Approved Teacher Assistant Training Program – Click here (547KB / 49 pages) to access these Profiles that describe various Teacher Assistant Training Programs including Contact Information, Program Overview, Program Schedule, Participant Information (eligibility, prerequisites, fees), Field Experience, Linkage to ParaPro Assessment, Program Completion Requirements and Evaluation of Participant Competencies (e.g., attendance, tests, portfolio), and Training Program Evaluation (instruments and strategies to evaluate program effectiveness in preparing participants to be teacher assistants).
- RIDE Teacher Assistant Training Program Approval Process - Click on this title to get to a webpage that describes requirements and resources for RIDE Approved Teacher Assistant Training Programs. This webpage explains the process and provides forms for initial program approval, maintaining approval (through annual program profile updates) and triennial program approval renewal.
