About Us

Teacher Assistant Training Program Approval Process

Part 1 - Approved Teacher Assistant Training Program Overview

RI state law requires that persons hired as teacher assistants after January 1, 1999 complete a teacher assistant training program approved by the RI DePartment of Education (RIDE) that meets RIDE Standards for Teacher Assistants in RI. These standards articulate entry-level competencies that teacher assistants should be able to demonstrate as a result of training program completion. Standards apply to all teacher assistants employed by public schools to work with children and youth of all ability levels, birth through twenty-one years of age. These standards and accompanying RIDE guidelines for teacher assistants appear on the Teacher Assistant webpage at www.ritap.org/ta. RIDE has established an approval process for entities desiring to become a RIDE approved teacher assistant training program. The approval process includes three components: initial program approval, annual profile update and triennial program approval renewal.

Applicant Eligibility.

Any public or private entity can apply to become an approved teacher assistant training program. As of 2003, RI has over 25 RIDE approved teacher assistant training programs that provide training consistent with state standards for all persons interested in being employed as a teacher assistant. 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. A listing of currently approved teacher assistant training programs appears at www.ritap.org/ta. Some of these programs are exclusively for their own “in-house” staff; however, most programs are wiling to train any qualified applicant.

Length of Approval.

Approval is good for 3 years. A year is considered to run July 1-June 30. RIDE approval will identify the year through which the approval is given. The final approval date of any given year is always June 30 regardless of when approval was granted. Programs may apply for approval at any time. Given varied submission dates, RIDE will establish a program’s initial program approval period in a way so as to put the program on the July 1-June 30 approval schedule. Thus, the initial program approval may actually run a little over or a little less than 3 years depending on the date of initial application submission.

Initial Program Approval. (Part 2 of this Package)

  • If applying for initial program approval, complete the Initial Approval Requirements (Part 2 of this package) and Profile (Part 3 of this package) that appear on the Teacher Assistant webpage.
  • Mail the Profile and Initial Approval Requirements required documentation in hard copy to the Charlotte Diffendale, Office of Teacher Preparation, Certification and Professional Development, RI DePartment of Education (RIDE), 255 Westminster Street, Room 410, Providence, RI 02903, Phone: 401-222-8808; Fax: 401-222-2048. Also, email the Profile to TAComments@ritap.org.
  • As a condition of approval, new applicants must schedule a meeting with Office of Teacher Preparation, Certification and Professional Development staff to present their program. Contact the Charlotte Diffendale at the address above to schedule this meeting.
  • RIDE will send a letter to applicants regarding application status.
  • Once approved, your Profile information will be posted on the Teacher Assistant webpage.
  • To download the Initial Approval Requirements (Part 2 of this package) please click on the following link:

Initial Approval Requirements
important note: To utilize the Microsoft Word form, click on Microsoft Word icon associated with the form you are interested in, wait for the form to download, use your computer to fill out the Word document and then save this new version to your computer. You will then be able to attach it as an email or print your newly saved form and send it via regular mail.

Annual Profile Update (Part 3 of this Package)

Each Spring, RIDE will notify programs asking them to update the information in their profiles that appear on the Teacher Assistant webpage at www.ritap.org/ta. Programs must update their profiles by downloading the Profile Form that is provided in Word, complete the form and email to TAComments@ritap.org. If programs do not update their information by the timeline stated in the RIDE notification, the program will be eliminated from the RIDE approved teacher assistant training program roster. To download the Profile form (Part 3 of this package), please click on the following link:

Profile Form
important note: To utilize the Microsoft Word form, click on Microsoft Word icon associated with the form you are interested in, wait for the form to download, use your computer to fill out the Word document and then save this new version to your computer. You will then be able to attach it as an email or print your newly saved form and send it via regular mail.

Triennial Program Approval Renewal (Part 4 of this Package)

  • Approved programs are responsible for monitoring their own approval status and renewing if desired. If no renewal application is received, the program will be eliminated from the RIDE approved teacher assistant training program roster.
  • Complete/update the Profile (see Part 3 above) and the Triennial Program Approval Renewal (Part 4 of this package) available on the Teacher Assistant webpage.
  • By May 1 of the year in which the program’s approval expires, submit the update Profile and the application renewal with required Triennial Program Approval Renewal documentation in hard copy to: Charlotte Diffendale, Office of Teacher Preparation, Certification and Professional Development, RI DePartment of Education (RIDE), 255 Westminster Street, Room 410, Providence, RI 02903, Phone: 401-222-8808; Fax: 401-222-2048. Also, email the updated Profile to TAComments@ritap.org.
  • RIDE will send a letter to applicants regarding approval.
  • To download the Triennial Program Approval Renewal Requirements (Part 4 of this package) please click on the following link:

Triennial Program Approval Renewal Requirements
important note: To utilize the Microsoft Word form, click on Microsoft Word icon associated with the form you are interested in, wait for the form to download, use your computer to fill out the Word document and then save this new version to your computer. You will then be able to attach it as an email or print your newly saved form and send it via regular mail.

Updating Profiles Throughout the Year

If you wish to change information in your Profile as currently posted on the website, download the Profile Form that is provided in Word, complete the form and email to TAcomments@ritap.org.

Program Termination

Programs wishing to terminate their programs within the 3 years of their approval should send a letter to this effect to: Office of Teacher Preparation, Certification and Professional Development, RI Department of Education, 255 Westminster Street, Room 410, Providence, RI 02903.

Supports for Approved Teacher Assistant Training Programs

  • Annual Networking Session: RIDE sponsors an annual Teacher Assistant Training Program Networking Session each April to facilitate dialogue and information sharing between RIDE and programs. RIDE requests that all Approved Teacher Assistant Training Programs send a representative(s) to this session.
  • Approved Teacher Assistant Training Program Profiles: Profiles are available at www.ritap.org/ta as a resource to persons interested in enrolling in a program. These profiles are also a helpful resource to programs interested in pursuing teacher assistant training program approval.
  • Approved Teacher Assistant Training Program Listserv: This listserv is a vehicle for RIDE to quickly update programs and for networking among programs. Upon program approval, programs will be added to this listserv.
  • RIDE Teacher Assistant Newsletter: RIDE uses the listserv to send programs the RIDE quarterly teacher assistant newsletter. RIDE requests that programs copy this newsletter and any related training announcements for sharing with their program participants. Program wishing to submit articles to the newsletter may do so by sending them to TAcomments@ritap.org.
  • Training Resources: RIDE has a variety of professional development resources available at www.ritap.org/ta. These resources include an annotated bibliography of resources that are available on loan to programs and individuals at various “outlets” throughout the state.