Expand Rhode Island's Praxis Bridge Program to Include the ESOL Praxis Exam (5362)
Equal Opportunity for Future ESOL Teachers in Rhode Island
I am asking the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the Rhode Island Councilon Elementary and Secondary Education to expand the Praxis Bridge Program to includePraxis 5362: English to Speakers of OtherLanguages (ESOL).

My journey to becoming a fully certified ESOL teacher has been filled with determination, hardwork, and perseverance. I have taken the Praxis 5362 exam three times, and despite mydedication, I have not been able to earn fullcertification because I missed the requiredpassing score by 10 points.

While I continue to study and improve, it hasbeen discouraging to learn that candidatestaking certain other Praxis exams who narrowly miss the passing score have access to the Praxis Bridge Program—a pathway that allows them todemonstrate competency by completing an ETS learning module instead of immediately retaking the entire exam. Unfortunately, that opportunity is not available for ESOL candidates.

I am not asking Rhode Island to lower its certification standards. I believe teachers should demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to support students. I am simply asking thatESOL candidates be given the same opportunitythat already exists for other certification areas.

Rhode Island's multilingual learners deserve qualified, passionate ESOL teachers. At a time when schools continue to need educators whocan support English learners, aspiring ESOLteachers should have access to the same faircertification pathways available to others.

I respectfully ask RIDE to:

Review the exclusion of Praxis 5362 from the Praxis Bridge Program.
Clearly explain the criteria used to determine which Praxis exams are eligible.
Expand the Praxis Bridge Program to include Praxis 5362 if it meets those criteria.
Work with educators, school districts, universities, and ESOL professionals to ensure certification policies are equitable and responsive to Rhode Island's workforceneeds.
This petition is about fairness, consistency, and supporting future educators withoutcompromising high standards.

If you believe aspiring ESOL teachers deserve the same opportunity afforded to candidates in other certification areas, please sign this petitionand share it with your friends, colleagues, educators, and community members.

Together, we can encourage Rhode Island to review this policy and create a more equitable certification process for future ESOL teachers.

Please sign today and help give ESOL teacher candidates an equal opportunity to achieve certification through the Praxis Bridge Program.