Prior to the requirement of background checks for teacher licensure, Professional Licensure engaged in the practice of automatically renewing the teaching license of those teachers that were teaching in an Arkansas public school during the last effective year of their current teaching license.
Enough time has elapsed since the background checks were first required for licensure for Professional Licensure to resume the practice of automatic renewals.
Automatic renewals will begin with those renewal applications that are still pending for the 2002 year. Those renewals should be completed by mid-December.
We hope to have those licenses that expire in 2003 renewed by early spring of 2003. Please tell those teachers employed for the 2002-2003 school year that have a license expiring December 31, 2003 not to submit an application for the renewal of their teaching license. If a license that is expiring in 2003 is a ten-year license, it will not be automatically renewed unless the teacher has completed the background check by the time we begin the automatic renewals in February of 2003.
Automatic renewals will be available only for those teachers who are teaching in a public school setting in Arkansas during the last effective year of their current teaching license. Those teachers who are not teaching in an Arkansas public school setting or are not teaching at all will renew their teaching license by submitting an application for renewal to the Office of Professional Licensure.
All copies of licenses that are automatically renewed will be mailed to the school district where the teacher is currently employed.