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Arkansas Teacher Certification

You can become a teacher in Arkansas on your own schedule, without quitting your current job or going into debt. Try our teacher certification program free for seven days and see if you are ready to start earning your Arkansas teacher certification. Enroll anytime and get started to become an Arkansas teacher with the nonprofit American Board program.

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Teacher Certifications offered in Arkansas

Choose a subject below to learn more about the requirements to teach that subject:

*In order to earn your provisional teaching license to teach Middle School History/Social Studies, you must pass the Middle School Social Studies Praxis exam. Learn more about the Praxis exam here.

**In order to earn your provisional teaching license to teach Secondary History, you must pass the Secondary Social Studies Praxis exam. Learn more about the Praxis exam here.

How to Become a Teacher in Arkansas

 

To become a teacher in Arkansas using American Board teacher certification, candidates will need to complete the following steps:

 

1. Complete the American Board program by passing the required pedagogy and subject area exams.*

 

2. Apply to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and complete the appropriate ADE licensure application form.

 

3. Obtain a teaching position in an Arkansas school. The school may either be an Arkansas public or charter school. The school must be a public school; it cannot be a private school.

 

4. Submit evidence of your offer of employment to the Arkansas Department of Education and complete both the criminal records check and Child Maltreatment Central Registry check.

 

*All candidates must have their background checks approved before they can begin their professional development (step 6). The background check cannot be over one year old when candidates submit their offer of employment to the Arkansas Department of Education.

 

5. Apply for your teaching license. You will initially receive a 3-year non-renewable provisional teaching license.

 

6. Complete required professional development courses and certifications as required by the state. These include courses in Science of Reading**, Child Maltreatment, Parental Involvement, Teen Suicide Prevention, and Dyslexia Awareness. These courses can be completed for free on the ArkansasIDEAS website. The ADE will let candidates know exactly which courses will be required of them on ArkansasIDEAs based on their individual program. Waivers will not be given based on prior experience.

 

7. Begin teaching. You will initially teach on a 3-year non-renewable provisional teaching license.

 

*= Candidates seeking certification in Elementary Education must also complete the Reading Assessment Exam as mandated by ADE. 

**=Act 1063 of 2017, the Right to Read Act, states: “Beginning no later than the 2022-2023 school year, each state-approved educator preparation program shall post on its website information describing its program to prepare teachers to teach reading using scientific reading instruction aligned with but not limited to the content measured by the stand-alone reading assessment adopted by the State Board of Education under § 6-17-402.”

Candidates enrolled in Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 programs must complete coursework and pass the Foundations of Reading test to be considered proficient in scientific reading instruction to obtain a license.

Candidates enrolled in all other licensure area programs must complete the coursework to be considered awareness level in scientific reading instruction to obtain a license.

In 2019, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education approved (EPP Name) pathways to meet this requirement. The pathways are aligned to the appropriate Foundations of Reading Competencies – Proficiency Level  or Foundations of Reading Competencies – Awareness Level.

DESE – Approved Course/Modules lists approved courses/modules for all approved licensure programs in Arkansas.

UPGRADE YOUR LICENSE

 

In order to upgrade your provisional teaching license into a 5-year renewable standard teaching license you must complete the following steps:

 

1. Participate in a 2-year mentoring program as required by the state. This program will pair you with an experienced teacher within your school for classroom observations and advice. The state superintendent may require a third year of mentoring.

 

2. Participate in the Teacher Excellence and Support System (T.E.S.S.) training program and undergo a summative evaluation. You must receive a proficient or distinguished overall rating by your third year of teaching. Your employing school district may receive a waiver for an alternate evaluation system.

 

3. If applicable, submit documentation of the successful completion of Arkansas History and Disciplinary Literacy requirements. Learn more about these requirements at ArkansasIDEAS.

 

4. Provide a recommendation from the superintendent of the employing school district.

 

5. Complete the appropriate Arkansas Department of Education licensure application form and payment.

Questions?

For more information on state teaching requirements, visit the Arkansas Department of Education’s website or call them at (501) 682-4475. Our team works closely with the DOE to ensure that our alumni have the resources they need to succeed as teachers.

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We are available to answer your questions via email, chat, or phone. Reach out to us with questions and we’ll be happy to help you figure out if our program is the right fit for your needs.

Call 1-877-669-2228 to speak with our Enrollment Team or click the button below to email us.

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