Rhode Island

Trainings in this category are accepted by The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families for the 10 hours not approved by the department which is documented through the certificate that you receive at the end of the course.

What childcare training resources exist in Rhode Island?

The Rhode Island Center for Early Learning Professionals oversees all services, programs, and facilities pertaining to early childhood and out of school learning. The Center for Early Learning Professionals is the central resource for early childhood educators, trainers, and programs that are intended for young children and their families in Rhode Island. The Center for Early Learning and Professionals approves in-person and online training resources to ensure that professionals are receiving high-quality trainings. According to the Center for Early Learning Professionals, this approval process certifies that courses listed as approved ensure the following:

• Aligns with the state’s Workforce Knowledge and Competencies Frameworks (WKCs) and the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS) as appropriate
• Supports programs in meeting state child care licensing requirements, BrightStars standards, and the Rhode Island Department of Education’s Comprehensive Early Childhood Education (CECE) Program Approval Standards
• Incorporates presentation methods appropriate for adult learners
• Includes methods to assess and evaluate participants’ learning
• Cites references grounded in current research, theory, and best practice
• Is facilitated by trainers who meet the qualifications and expectations outlined in the Workforce Knowledge and Competencies for Professional Development Providers and Higher Education Faculty/Staff

AIR Child Care Training Solutions offers a variety of courses that have gone through this approval process. Each certificate of achievement earned will display the unique approval code granted by the Center for Early Learning Professionals.

Rhode Island Childcare Training Tools

While there are many great tools available to childcare professionals from the Center for Early Learning Professionals, here’s two that we’ve found to be very useful.

Center Approved PD lists the approved professional development courses available for educators. Courses can be searched by topic category, keyword, language, and learning model (online vs in-person). Courses are then listed with their length of hours, description, topic category, and training organization displayed. AIR Training Solutions courses can be found by searching “AIR Training Solutions” in the search box or selecting “Online” and “English” in the modality and language boxes.

Program Improvement Resources  provided by The Center for Early Learning Professionals gives members of the early childhood workforce. Some of the resources that the Center for Early Learning Professionals provides are process consulting, professional development advising, on-site coaching, and resource sharing.

How many hours of annual in-service training are required in Rhode Island?

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Minimum Preservice Qualifications and Annual Ongoing Training Hours for Center Teaching Roles in 2011, early childhood professionals are required to complete a minimum of twenty (20) clock hours of professional development annually. A minimum of ten (10) of these hours must be approved by the Center for Early Learning Professionals. Courses by AIR Child Care Training Solutions can be used to meet the 10 hours that do not need to be approved by Center for Early Learning Professionals.