Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 005 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division 19 - Division of Academic Accountability ***
Rule 005.19.04-006 - ADE 170: Rules Governing Teacher Licensure by Reciprocity - To provide guidance on how to secure an Arkansas teaching license for teachers holding an out of state license

3.01.1 Applicants shall hold or be eligible to hold a valid or expired provisional, initial or standard teaching license from another state or country.

3.01.2 Any applicant that has completed a teacher preparation program from another state or country but did not license.

3.02.1 Applicants for licensure through reciprocity shall complete the application form, criminal background check and provide a copy of a current or expired teaching license, verification of three years teaching experience, and/or copies of test scores required for out-of-state or out-of-country licensure and official transcripts reflecting the completion of Bachelor's Degree (Master's Degree when required) from a National Council for Accreditation of Teaching Education (NCATE) or regionally accredited institution of higher education.

3.02.2 Applicants for licensure through reciprocity holding a current out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license and current certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), shall be eligible for the five-year standard teaching license upon submission of a completed application form, official transcripts, copy of current out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license and successful completion of the required background checks

3.02.3 Teachers licensing through reciprocity with less than one-year of teaching experience shall participate in the mentoring program during the first year of teaching. The Praxis III Performance Assessment shall not be required for teachers holding a current or expired standard out-of-state or out-of-country license at the time they applied for their Arkansas teaching license.

3.02.4 Any individual who holds a valid teaching license from another state, and who has not graduated from an NCATE, or regionally accredited institution of higher education, may make application to the Non-Traditional Licensure Program, where academic credentials and relevant life experiences will be evaluated.

3.02.5 Candidates from countries not included in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) agreements may make application for admission into the Non-traditional Licensure Program.

3.02.6 Professional exams required for out-of state or out-of-country teacher licensure may be accepted for Arkansas teacher licensure.

3.02.7 Required assessments for Arkansas licensure through reciprocity shall be waived upon providing the following documentation:

3.02.8 All out-of-country applicants shall have their credentials evaluated by one of the private credential evaluation agencies located in the United States. The private evaluation agency shall complete a course-by-course evaluation of the applicant's transcript, indicate the applicants major area of study and document whether the applicants degree is equivalent to one that would have been completed at an institution of higher education in the United States. The private evaluation agency shall also document whether the professional preparation for teacher licensure out-of-country and the areas of teacher licensure represented by the out-of-country license are equivalent to the preparation required for teacher licensure in the United States.

3.02.9 Applicants from out-of-state or out-of-country with an expired license shall take and pass the Praxis II Specialty Area Test(s) for all areas of standard licensure and the Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching for the appropriate level of teacher licensure to be eligible for a standard Arkansas teaching license. Applicants with an expired license from out-of-state or out-of-country shall not be eligible for a provisional license.

3.02.10 Out-of-state and out-of-country applicants for teacher licensure whose current license was granted without professional exams, and who cannot document at least three years of teaching experience., shall take and pass the Praxis II Specialty Area Test for all areas of standard licensure endorsements and the Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching for the appropriate level of teacher licensure.

3.02.11 All candidates with licensure areas/endorsements from other states or countries with reciprocity agreements through NASDTEC shall automatically receive the Arkansas equivalent licensure area(s)/endorsements, provided all other licensure requirements have been met.

3.02.12 Applicants from out-of-state or out-of-country with a license in special education or a related service area(s), i.e. Visual Specialist or Hearing Specialist, seeking a standard teaching license shall initially meet the standards established for such licensure in Arkansas to receive a standard teaching license. A one year, renewable twice, provisional teaching license shall be available for those applicants not meeting the established standards for special education licensure. The applicant shall meet the standards established for special education licensure within three years of receiving a provisional license to be in keeping with the "highest standards" of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 pertaining to qualified personnel. The Office of Special Education will assist the Office of Professional Licensure in identifying the course of action for meeting Arkansas standards for licensure in special education or related service area(s). The provisional license shall be converted to a standard license upon meeting the established standards for Arkansas special education licensure.

3.02.13 Teachers and/or administrators being licensed in Early Childhood P-4, any Middle School area or Secondary Social Studies, shall complete a three-hour course in Arkansas History before receiving a standard Arkansas teaching license. A one-year, non-renewable provisional teaching license shall be available for those that haven't completed the three-hour Arkansas History course.

3.02.14 Applicants whose standard teaching area(s) are not compatible with an Arkansas standard teaching area shall receive the teaching area that most closely parallels their out-of-state or out-of-country licensure area(s).

When the standard teaching area(s) are not compatible, the applicant shall take and pass the required Praxis II Specialty Area Exam(s) for all parts of the licensure area(s) requested through reciprocity that are not compatible with the Arkansas licensure area(s).

3.02.15 Applicants whose endorsements) are not compatible with an Arkansas endorsement area, shall take the required Praxis II Specialty Area Exam(s) for the Arkansas endorsement area(s) that most closely parallels their out-of-state or out-of-country endorsement area(s) in order to add the Arkansas endorsement area(s) to their standard teaching license. In cases where the endorsement area does not have a subject specific Praxis II Specialty Area Exam, the applicant shall complete the prescribed program of study for the endorsement area and Praxis II Exam assigned to that endorsement area.

3.02.16 A Provisional teaching license shall become effective for one year from the date the teacher/administrator is hired.

3.02.17 A Standard teaching license will become effective January 1 of the year the license is issued and shall expire December 31 of the last year the license is valid. A Standard teaching license issued prior to January 1, 2002 shall be valid for six years if based on a Bachelor's Degree and shall be valid for ten years if based on a Master's Degree. A standard teaching license issued after January 1, 2002 shall be valid for five years.

3.02.18 A provisional license shall not be issued to any person possessing a valid Arkansas standard teaching license.

3.02.19 _Candidates who completed an out-of-state or out-of-country teacher preparation program but never licensed, shall meet the following requirements for their Initial Arkansas teaching license.

3.02.20 Only the areas of licensure and/or endorsement listed on an out-of-state or out-of-country license shall be recognized for licensure through reciprocity.

3.02.21 Candidates from out-of-state or out-of-country that have completed a teacher education program and hold an initial or provisional teaching license shall meet the following requirements for their Arkansas three-year initial teaching license.

3.02.22 The Office of Professional Licensure, as authorized by the State Board of Education, reserves the right to amend and/or rescind any Arkansas teaching license that has been issued in error.

4.01.1 A completed application for licensure.

4.01.2 Official transcripts reflecting the completion of a Bachelor's Degree (Master's Degree where required) from a regionally and/or NCATE accredited out-of-state or out-of country teacher preparation program.

4.01.3 Successful completion of both parts of the required background checks (Arkansas State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation).

4.01.4 Out-of-country applicants shall present documentation of transcript evaluation by an independent evaluation agency in the United States as specified in section 3.02.8.

4.01.5 Proof of employment on the verification of provisional licensure eligibility form indicating employing school district and hire date.

4.01.6 Copy of out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license.

4.01.7 All coursework assessed because it has been longer than five years since program completions, shall be completed prior to receiving a provisional teaching license.

4.02.1 A completed application for licensure.

4.02.2 Official transcripts reflecting the completion of a Bachelor's Degree (Master's Degree where required) from a regionally and/or NCATE accredited out-of-state or out-of-country teacher preparation program.

4.02.3 Successful completion of both parts of the required background checks (Arkansas State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation).

4.02.4 Copy of valid, standard out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license. This will not be required when applicant did not license out-of-state or out-of-country.

4.02.5 Out-of-country applicants shall present documentation of transcript evaluation by an independent evaluation agency in the United States as specified in section 3.02.8.

4.02.6 Applicants wishing to renew the provisional teaching license shall submit a new application for licensure requesting the renewal of their provisional teaching license and shall provide proof of employment on the verification of provisional licensure eligibility form indicating the employing school district and hire date.

4.02.7 Proof of employment on the verification of provisional licensure eligibility form indicating employing school district and hire date.

4.03.1 Three years of teaching experience or completion of required testing for the out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license.

4.03.2 Three-hour Arkansas History course when required.

4.04.1 A completed application for licensure.

4.04.2 Official transcripts reflecting the completion of a Bachelor's Degree (Master's Degree where required) from a regionally and/or NCATE accredited out-of-state or out-of-country teacher preparation program.

4.04.3 Successful completion of both parts of the required background checks (Arkansas State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation).

4.04.4 Copy of valid, standard teaching license from out-of-state or out-of-country.

4.04.5 Proof of employment on the verification of provisional licensure eligibility form indicating employing school district and hire date.

4.04.6 Out-of-country applicants shall present documentation of transcript evaluation by an independent evaluation agency in the United States as specified in section 3.02.8.

5.01.1 A completed application for licensure requesting the conversion of the provisional license.

5.01.2 Score reports reflecting successful completion of the state required basic skills assessment (all parts), specialty area assessment(s) and pedagogical assessment when required.

5.01.3 Official transcript(s) reflecting the successful completion of a three (3) hour Arkansas History course when required.

5.02.1 A completed application for licensure requesting conversion of the provisional to the three-year initial or five-year standard teaching license.

5.02.2 Official transcript reflecting successful completion of a three (3) hour Arkansas History course when required.

5.02.3 Score report reflecting successful completion of state required content assessment(s), pedagogical assessment and basic skills assessments (all parts) when required.

5.02.4 Official transcript and documentation of successful completion of program of study (coursework) when required.

5.03.1 A completed application for licensure requesting the conversion of the provisional license.

5.03.2 Official transcript reflecting the successful completion of a three (3) hour Arkansas History course when required.

5.03.3 Score report reflecting successful completion of the state required specialty area assessment(s) and pedagogical assessment (OR) written documentation reflecting three-years of teaching experience or completion of required testing for the out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license.