The State Board of Education recently approved the addition of the new licensure endorsement area of Mandarin Chinese at the secondary (7-12) level.
The new Additional Licensure Plan (ALP) for Mandarin Chinese is now available through the Office of Professional Licensure and has also been placed out on the Arkansas Department of Education - Teacher Licensure website for teachers interested in the requirements for adding this endorsement area to a current Arkansas teaching license.
School districts interested in offering Mandarin Chinese as an additional foreign language, should follow existing guidelines regarding the notification and approval of this course offering with the Curriculum /Instruction Unit in the Department. This commissioner's memo serves to notify schools/districts that there are guidelines in place for providing qualified, licensed teachers for this new foreign language area.
A copy of the new Additional Licensure Plan for Mandarin Chinese has been provided as an attachment.
Please direct any questions regarding this new endorsement area to Ron Tolson in the Office of Professional Licensure at 501-683-3126 or by e-mail at ron.tolson@arkansas.gov.