The State Board of Education approved permanent amendments to rules and regulations governing the adding of additional areas of licensure and the Probationary Route to Licensure at the October 8, 2001 meeting.
These permanent rules and regulations for adding an additional area of licensure and the Probationary Route to Licensure contain significant changes from the emergency rules and regulations that have been in place since June 11, 2001.
Please provide this information to the teachers as soon as possible.
Information not covered in the rules and regulations is as follows:
Teachers/administrators holding only a K-12 teaching license may add additional areas of licensure at the secondary level (Grades 7-12) by testing out. Adding additional areas of licensure at the elementary or middle school levels shall be added by completing the program of study and the required Praxis exam for that specific area unless the teacher/administrator also holds a standard teaching license at those levels.
Teachers/administrators interested in adding an area of special education to their license, may do so within their current level of licensure or outside their level of licensure by completing only the program of study and required assessment(s).
Library Media Specialist, Counseling and Reading Specialist will be added by completing an approved graduate level program of study and the required assessment. The Department of Education no longer requires a Master's Degree for these areas, however, the program of study may be defined as a Master's Degree by the college or university.
Teachers/administrators wishing to add an additional area of licensure/endorsement under the new areas and levels of licensure, will need to submit a completed application form for licensure and a copy of their score report reflecting a passing score for the required assessment if testing out of an area. If they are adding an additional area of licensure by completing an approved program of study and the required assessment, they will need to complete the application for licensure and have the institution's certification officer verify they have completed the approved program of study and required assessment(s). A copy of the Praxis score report and official transcripts will need to accompany the application.
Those teachers/administrators adding additional areas of licensure/endorsements under the old DRP's will need to submit official transcripts as in the past as well as documentation they have completed the required assessment(s) and all other additional requirements as listed on the DRP. Those adding an additional area by testing out will need to submit an application for licensure along with a copy of the Praxis score report.
The old DRP's were replaced by the new Additional Licensure Plans as of September 1, 2001. Below is a list of the Additional Licensure Plans that have been developed and are ready for use. Refer to the Arkansas Department of Education Web Page at HTTP://arkedu.state.ar.us for these ALP's. Click on teachers in the left hand column and scroll down to the ALP's. These can be downloaded from this web site.
The Additional Licensure Plans that are currently available are:
Art Education
Agriculture Education
Business Education
Coaching Endorsement
Drama/Speech
Early Childhood Education P-4
English Education
ESL
G/T
Family and Consumer Science
Life/Earth Science
Foreign Language: French
Marketing Education
Industrial Technology Education
Mathematics
Library Media Endorsement
School Counseling
Middle Chilldhood: Math/Science & Eng./S.S.
Social Studies
Foreign Language: Spanish
Physical/Earth Science
Music Education: Instrumental & Vocal
Special Education: Instructional Specialist ( Grades 4-12 )
Special Education: Early Childhood Instructional Specialist ( P-4)
Additional Licensure Plans soon to be available:
District Administrator
Building Administrator
School Psychology Specialist
Program/Curriculum Administrator
Speech Lang. Pathologist
Educational Examiner
Visual Specialist
Hearing Specialist
Physical Education, Wellness, Leisure
Please refer to the following attachments: Rules and Regulations Governing the Adding of Additional Areas of Licensure, and the Probationary Route to Teacher Licensure, and the new areas and levels of licensure as adopted by the State Board of Education.