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Professional Development

Whether you’re new to the profession or embracing a new challenge, we can help you succeed.
NEA Rhode Island is proud to offer professional development to members in order to support your work in the classroom/workplace.

How to use this toolkit

  • Check out the 2024-2025 Professional Development Offerings
  • Explore and use the NEARI Learning Portal & NEA Microcredentials
  • Find ways to contribute your expertise to NEARI's Professional Development Offerings
  • Find professional learning specifically for your role
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2025 Summer PD Book Club

This summer, earn PLUs while reading a great book on creating a future where all people are recognized and valued. Grab your free book, head to the beach, attend a discussion session on August 7, and earn 6 PLUs! Registration is required.

NEARI Learning Portal
 

NEARI has a new registration and learning management system that will help centralize trainings and workshops and allow learners to access their portfolio throughout the year. Upon completion of a PD course, you can generate a PLU certificate right from the system and look back at your training history.

The link below will bring you to our new LearnUpon system. When you reach the NEARI Learning Portal sign-in page:

  • Find "Don't have an account?" and click Register now.
  • You will be prompted to enter your email address and create and confirm a password.
  • Once logged in as a learner, you can view the full catalog of offerings by selecting "Catalog" in the top navigation bar.

In addition to live and virtual course registration, the Learning Portal houses self-paced trainings from both NEARI and NEA to advance your professional development and sharpen your organizing skills.

Sign Up    Flyer: Add to Your Union Bulletin Board

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Climate Micro-credentials

NEA partnered with members in the Arizona Education Association and worked with internal partners in NEA Teacher Quality (TQ) and the Center for Racial and Social Justice (CRSJ) to develop a stack of six climate and environmental justice micro-credentials. We also worked with external partners, Subject to Climate and the Aspen Institute’s This is Planet Ed.

Resources for Mental Health, SEL, & Trauma-Informed Practices

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The NEARI Virtual Calming Room

The NEARI Virtual Calming Room is a place for students, families, faculty and staff to find tools to help manage stress, anxiety, feelings and emotions.
Visit the Calming Room
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Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Partnership

The National Education Association Rhode Island together in partnership with Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, Rhode Island Foundation, the Office of Governor Raimondo and the RI Department of Education are pleased to participate in this statewide offering of the highly-regarded Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence social and emotional learning course. All preK-12 and afterschool program staff in Rhode Island will now have the opportunity to take "Social and Emotional Learning in Times of Uncertainty and Stress: Research-Based Strategies." This course is delivered by leading experts in the fields of psychology, education, and research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. There is no course fee.
Access the program
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RISAS Trauma 101 for Educators

Rhode Island Student Assistance Services (RISAS) provides evidence-based programs in schools and communities to prevent substance use and promote mental health. Rhode Island Student Assistance Services (RISAS) has made available video resources on their YouTube Channel centered on Trauma 101 for Educators. The RISAS YouTube Channel is an archive of on-your-own-time, at-your-own-pace professional development opportunities.
Visit RISAS YouTube
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Self-Paced PD Playlists

PD Playlists offer a series of self-guided professional development opportunities on the following topics: Parents as Partners, The Power of Knowing Your Students, They Keys to Successful Collaboration and Formative Assessments. When the required tasks are completed, members will receive a certificate from NEARI: Each is 1.5 hours of PD credit

Online Professional Development for ESPs

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Building Winning Teams: Effective Paraeducator-Teacher Teams (BWT) (NEA Micro-credential Stack)

The micro-credential implementation support model brings educators together in collaborative groups, such as professional learning communities (PLCs), to focus on common learning goals. NEA's micro-credential offerings vary from Bully Free Schools, Supporting LGBTQ Students, to Classroom Management. Micro-credentials allow ESP the opportunity to move along the ESP Professional Growth Continuum through online professional development.


Learn more >

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ESP Webinar Recordings

NEA ESP Quality Department in the Center of Great Public Schools, in collaboration with various professionals in the education workforce, have created a wide variety of professional development webinars designed to support the professional growth of Education Support Professionals (ESP).

Learn more >

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ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC)

The ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC) consists of eight Universal Standards within three Levels of Practice. The three Levels of Practice begin with Foundational, moving to Proficient, and working toward an Advanced/Mastery level of professional practice. These three Levels of Practice span across all nine ESP career families with opportunities for ESP to enhance their professional standing by being a role model, mentor, and/or leader at each level.

Learn more >
 

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Knowledge and Skill Development for Special Education Paraprofessionals

These trainings from the Pennsylvania Department of Education are designed to provide practical information regarding educational methods and resources that may be used by special education paraprofessionals working with students in a variety of educational settings.

Learn more >
 

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Autism-Focused Intervention Resources and Modules

Each AFIRM module focuses on an Evidenced Based Practices for learners with ASD and includes:

  • engaging case examples that demonstrate the behavior or practice in use,
  • multimedia presentation of content with audio and video clips, and
  • interactive assessments that provide you with feedback based on your responses.

Learn more >

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Professional Growth Continuum (NEA Micro-credential Stack)

This stack provides states, local education agencies, and individuals opportunities to comprehend the NEA's ESP Professional Growth Continuum, the 8 Universal Standards of professionalism for all ESPs, and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of competency and how it impacts ESPs for each Standard at the proficent level of the Continuum.

Learn more >

Get Involved

NEARI Members Are Experts. Contribute your expertise by joining the PD committee or submitting a PD proposal.

Join the PD Committee!

Get involved in planning the Professional Development calendar! Any and all members are welcome to join the PD Committee - Contact Amanda for more information. 

2024-2025 PD Requests for Proposals

NEARI is looking for Proposals for 90 minute to 2 hour sessions for Professional Development for our members.

NEARI is 12,000 members strong, we are classroom teachers; education support professionals; higher education faculty, staff, and graduate assistants; and municipal and state workers.

In your responses, please be as specific as possible regarding what you will be presenting, the type of activities and/or interaction, and for whom the session is targeted.

Additionally, if you are willing to present your session via zoom, in person at NEARI HQ, or on the road at one of our locals, please let us know. Stipend for work provided is based upon length of session and planning time. Please reach out to Amanda Scott with any questions.

Fill out the RFP Form



 

YOU are the union.

Learn how you can support your local in bargaining, protect your union rights, and strengthen your worksite.
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Take Action on Racial & Social Justice

We are on a mission to dismantle unjust systems, and together, as educators and allies, we can take actions to address the inequities that result from institutionally racist policies and practices in our schools and the communities in which our students live.

Join us to work for access and opportunity for all students.

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A labor union and professional organization.

Our Association is a remarkable blend of union and professional organization, with a proud history of serving Rhode Island. Since its inception in 1845, our members have been at the center of every struggle to advance the finest of American dreams: the promise of a quality public education for every child. One in every 100 Rhode Islanders is a member - chances are, you know us already!
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Join NEARI

The NEARI is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

Learn more at NEA.org

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