The Arkansas State Board of Education approved the following revisions to the Rules Governing the Non-Traditional Licensure Program, which are scheduled to go into effect for the 2007 cohort.
Sections of the proposed revisions affect the eligibility timeline for Early Childhood, Middle Childhood and Secondary Social Studies applicants.
“Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, all candidates seeking licensure in Early Childhood Education (P-4) and/or Middle Childhood Education (4-8) must successfully complete six college-credit-hours in Methods of Teaching Reading. Also a three-credit-hour course in Arkansas History is required for teacher candidates in Early Childhood Education (P-4), Middle Childhood Education (4-8) and Secondary Social Studies (7-12).”
All Methods of Teaching Reading and the Arkansas History coursework must be successfully completed prior to program admission. Since these courses must be taken in succession, applicants must enroll in and complete Methods of Teaching Reading I in the Fall of 2006 and Methods of Teaching Reading II in the Spring of 2007.
A list of Arkansas Colleges/Universities offering “Teaching Reading” courses to help candidates qualify for the Non-Traditional Licensure Program is attached. Information is also available online at www.TeachArkansas.org and www.ArkansasEd.org.
A second revision, which affects all applicants, requires “documentation of a cumulative undergraduate or graduate grade point average of 2.50 or higher, or a minimum of 2.75 on the last 60 credit-hours of coursework.”
Questions regarding the proposed revisions may be addressed to:
Ms. Barbara Culpepper
Office of Teacher Quality
501 Woodlane, Suite 220-C
Little Rock, AR 72201
bculpepper@arkedu.k12.ar.us
501-682-5535