Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 005 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division 26 - Special Projects ***
Rule 005.26.06-001 - ADE 243: Rules Governing the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program

1.01 This rule shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Education Rule Governing the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program.

1.02 The State Board of Education promulgates this Rule pursuant to the regulatory authority provided in Arkansas Code Ann. §§ 6-11-105, 6-17-2501 et seq. and 25-11-201 et seq.

2.01 The purpose of these rules is to implement and establish the process governing the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program.

3.01 "Classroom teacher" is a person who is required to have a valid Arkansas teacher's license, engaged directly in instruction with students in a classroom setting for more than seventy percent (70%) of the person's contracted time and is not a guidance counselor or librarian.

3.02 "In residence" means working exclusively with the Department of Education at a location agreed upon between the Department and the Teacher of the Year.

3.03 "Superintendent" means the executive officer of a school district board of directors directing the affairs of the school district and teaching not more than one-half (1/2) of the time in the school day.

3.04 "School district board of directors" means the local board of directors of a school district, which are duly elected and qualified to hold office pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-604 et seq.

4.01 Beginning with the 2006-2007 Teacher of the Year Program, the Arkansas Department of Education shall develop a process for selecting the Arkansas Teacher of the Year. This process shall work in conjunction with and in support of the process for selecting a National Teacher of the Year.

4.02 The process shall allow that each Arkansas school district board of directors may submit a single applicant for the Arkansas Teacher of the Year.

4.03 The applicants shall be reduced to sixteen (16) finalists representing one (1) applicant for each of the fifteen (15) education service areas and one (1) applicant for school districts in Pulaski County.

4.04 In submitting an application for Arkansas Teacher of the Year, a school district agrees that if its applicant is selected, the district shall place the teacher on paid administrative leave for the school year immediately following his or her selection, as provided in Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-2504.

4.05 While on paid administrative leave, the Arkansas Teacher of the Year shall Work-in-Residence with the Department of Education to:

4.06 During the school year in which a school district's teacher of the year is on paid administrative leave, the Department of Education shall reimburse the school district as provided in Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-2505.

5.01 Any school district whose applicant is selected as Arkansas Teacher of the Year shall place that teacher on paid administrative leave for the school year immediately following the teacher's selection as Arkansas Teacher of the Year for the time period that the teacher actually serves as the Arkansas Teacher of the Year.

5.02 The teacher shall be entitled to return to her or his former employment with the school district in the same or similar position with no loss of pay, benefits and seniority for the school year following the paid administrative leave provided and shall not suffer loss of pay, position, benefits and seniority simple due to the fact the teacher fulfilled her or his obligations as AR Teacher of the Year.

5.03 The school district shall be responsible for providing a replacement teacher or restructuring class loads during the school year in which the teacher selected as Arkansas Teacher of the Year is on administrative leave.

5.04 Any school district that employs a substitute teacher to replace a teacher of the year shall not be subject to any earning limitations set in place by law or the Arkansas teacher retirement system.

5.05 Each school district classroom teacher contract shall reflect the administrative leave provisions for any teacher selected as Arkansas Teacher of the Year.

6.01 During the school year in which a school district's teacher of the year is on paid administrative leave, the Department of Education shall reimburse the school district for:

6.02 The Department of Education shall be responsible for the reimbursement of any incidental expenses incurred by the Teacher of the Year during the implementation of the program for the current year.

6.03 The Department may receive private donations, grants or other forms of assistance to help fund any aspect of the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program.

7.01 While serving as Arkansas Teacher of the Year, the teacher of the year shall also serve in an advisory position as a non-voting member to the Arkansas State Board of Education.

7.02 The Arkansas Teacher of the Year shall provide a written advisory report to the State Board of Education on how to better provide teacher professional development and student instruction assistance for Arkansas public school teachers.

7.03 The Arkansas Teacher of the Year shall not be entitled to any compensation or per-diem for serving as a non-voting member of the state board.

7.04 As a non-voting member of the state board, the Arkansas Teacher of the Year shall be immune from any liability with regard to any act or omission of the state board.