The Office of Professional Licensure will be automatically renewing teaching licenses expiring December 31, 2009.
Automatic renewal will be occurring only if the teacher:
1. Holds an Arkansas standard teaching license expiring December 31, 2009.
2. Has successfully completed at least one background check through the Arkansas State Police (ASP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Teachers who have not yet completed a background check must do so and have the results in to the Office of Professional Licensure by September 1, 2009.
3. Was employed by an Arkansas public school for the 2008-2009 school year. All queries regarding employment for the 2008-2009 school year will be made from the Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) database.
4. Has completed the required sixty (60) hours of professional development for the 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 school years. Schools may begin logging in professional development for the teachers July 1, 2009. All professional development must be logged in by September 1, 2009.
Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) has developed a professional development reporting tool that may be accessed by going to the Statewide Information Systems (SIS) Menu and looking under records maintenance. All professional development reporting was due with the Cycle 8 submission.
5. Has paid the $100.00 fee for licensure renewal by October 1, 2009.
The $100.00 licensure fee for the renewal of a teaching license will be submitted to Information Network of Arkansas (INA) by way of credit card payment (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover) or electronic check at the web address of http://ark.org/teachers/licensure.
Personal checks will not be accepted for payment of licensure fees.
School districts wishing to pay the licensure fees for teachers may submit a school district warrant covering the required fees to the Office of Professional Licensure. The school district must include a listing of the teachers being paid by the school districts warrant, including appropriate social security numbers.
Teachers unable to pay the licensure fee electronically by credit card or electronic check shall submit the required licensure fee in the form of a money order or cashiers check made out to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to: the Office of Professional Licensure, Four Capitol Mall, Room 106-B, Little Rock, AR 72201. The Social Security number must be included in order to accurately credit the teacher with payment.
Teaching licenses that will not be automatically renewed are:
1. Teachers not employed by an Arkansas public school.
2. Teachers employed in an Arkansas public school who do not meet all requirements for the automatic renewal of teaching license as listed above.
Teachers not meeting the requirements for the automatic renewal shall submit all paperwork for the renewal of teaching license to the Office of Professional Licensure, Four Capitol Mall, Room 106-B, Little Rock, AR 72201. Teachers submitting paperwork for the renewal of teaching licenses shall pay the required fee to the Information Network of Arkansas at the web address listed above. Teachers unable to pay the licensure fee electronically to the Information Network of Arkansas, shall submit the required licensure fee in the form of a money order or cashiers check with application. Please do not send cash. Personal checks will not be accepted for payment of the licensure fee.
Please address questions regarding the automatic renewal process to Ron Tolson, Coordinator, Professional Licensure at 501-683-3126 or by email at ron.tolson@arkansas.gov.