Rhode Island requires licensed childcare staff to complete annual continuing education, set by the RI Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Child Care Licensing. Centers and school‑age programs require 24 hours per year (year‑round); family child care homes require 12 hours per year. brightwheel is formally CELP‑approved — approval codes appear on every completion certificate, and these hours count toward the full required total.
| Total CE hours | 24 hours per year (year‑round programs) |
| Cadence | 2 hours/month for partial‑year programs; substitutes: 12 hrs/yr flat |
| Regulatory authority | RI Dept. of Human Services (DHS), Office of Child Care Licensing |
| brightwheel status | ✓ CELP‑approved — approval code on every certificate |
| Total CE hours | 12 hours per calendar year |
| Cadence | 1 hr/month for partial‑year; assistants/subs <20 hrs/wk: 6 hrs/yr |
| Regulatory authority | RI Dept. of Human Services (DHS), Office of Child Care Licensing |
| brightwheel status | ✓ CELP‑approved — approval code on every certificate |
brightwheel is formally approved by CELP (the state’s PD approval hub) — not just accepted. Approval codes appear on every completion certificate and count toward the full required hours. brightwheel does not auto‑post to RISES; educators submit certificates through their CELP account (reviewed within 30 days, then transferred to RISES within 1–2 days).
| Courses available in Rhode Island | View courses across 8 CDA competency areas |
Browse courses by competency area in Rhode Island
Each competency area maps to CDA standards and satisfies Rhode Island’s continuing education requirements. Select a competency area to explore available courses.
Safe and Healthy Environment
Health and safety, nutrition, emergency preparedness, classroom setup
Physical and Intellectual Development
Child growth, developmental milestones, motor skills, cognition
Social and Emotional Development
Social-emotional learning, behavior guidance, relationships, inclusion
Families
Family communication, partnerships, cultural responsiveness
Program Management
Administrative operations, staff management, licensing compliance
Professionalism
Professional standards, ethics, advocacy, career development
Observation and Documentation
Observational methods, documentation, assessment tools, portfolios
Child Development
Cross-cutting child development principles across all domains
BrightStars and brightwheel
BrightStars is Rhode Island’s Quality Rating and Improvement System. Staff professional development in CDA‑aligned competency areas is a core component of BrightStars quality ratings — programs that demonstrate ongoing staff training earn higher ratings. brightwheel’s IACET‑accredited courses align with the professional development requirements recognized by BrightStars, and the automatic tracking dashboard makes it straightforward to demonstrate staff training during program quality evaluations.
BrightStars →Frequently asked questions — Rhode Island
State‑accepted professional development courses in brightwheel
Brightwheel offers expert‑led, IACET‑accredited PD courses accepted in Rhode Island — with automatic tracking built in.
View full course roster
Accreditation: Brightwheel is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.