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; family child care homes require 12 hours per year. Program Management training counts toward these hours — program administration, supervision, and leadership are recognized qualifying categories. brightwheel is formally CELP‑approved and offers IACET‑accredited Program Management courses that staff can complete on demand, with approval codes on every completion certificate.
| Total CE hours | 24 hours per year (year‑round programs) |
| Cadence | 2 hours/month for partial‑year programs; substitutes: 12 hrs/yr flat |
| Program Management maps to | program administration, supervision, and leadership |
| 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 |
| Program Management maps to | program administration, supervision, and leadership |
| 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.
| Program Management courses in Rhode Island | View brightwheel courses |
About Program Management (CDA V)
Program Management — CDA Competency Area V — covers the administrative, supervisory, and operational skills needed to run a compliant, well‑organized early childhood program. It is particularly relevant for directors, assistant directors, and lead teachers stepping into leadership roles.
High‑quality early childhood programs require intentional management of people, policies, and processes. Educators who develop Program Management skills build the systems that allow programs to pass licensing inspections, retain staff, and deliver consistent quality for the children and families they serve.
Rhode Island Program Management training requirements
Rhode Island childcare staff must complete annual continuing education as a condition of maintaining a license from the RI Department of Human Services (DHS) — 24 hours per year for centers and school‑age programs, or 12 hours per year for family child care homes. Program Management training counts toward these hours — program administration, supervision, and leadership are recognized qualifying CE topics. brightwheel is formally CELP‑approved and offers courses aligned with the Program Management competency area.
Staff complete brightwheel’s Program Management courses on demand — each course is 1 hour, self‑paced, and includes an assessment with a certificate of completion. All completions are recorded automatically in the brightwheel administrator dashboard, making compliance documentation straightforward for Rhode Island licensing audits.
What Program Management training covers
brightwheel’s Program Management courses cover the knowledge and skills early childhood educators need to support children in this competency area. Topics include:
BrightStars and Program Management
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 →How brightwheel connects to the Rhode Island training dashboard
Frequently asked questions
Other competency areas available in Rhode Island
Meet Rhode Island Program Management training requirements with brightwheel
Brightwheel offers IACET‑accredited Program Management 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.