Orientations for Arkansas public school teachers and school counselors interested in information on state and federal funding for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process will be offered on the following nine dates:
Saturday, February 13, 2010, Dawson Educational Service Cooperative, Conference Center, 711 Clinton Street, Suite 201, Arkadelphia 71923
Saturday, February 27, 2010, Southeast Arkansas Educational Service Cooperative, Conference Room B, 1022 Scogin Drive, Monticello 71655
Saturday, March 6, 2010, Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative, Dewell Camp Conference Room, 912 West Sixth Avenue, Pine Bluff 71601
Saturday, March 20, 2010, Arkansas State University, Student Union Auditorium (Third Floor), 101 N. Caraway Road, Jonesboro 72401
Saturday, April 3, 2010, Mountain Home School District, Auditorium, 2465 Rodeo Drive, Mountain Home 72653
Saturday, April 10, 2010, Great Rivers Educational Service Cooperative, Instructional Building, 100 Campus Drive, Helena/West Helena 72342
Saturday, April 17, 2010, University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Echols Conference Center, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith 72913
Saturday, April 24, 2010, Northwest Arkansas Educational Service Cooperative, Room 14, 4 North Double Springs Road, Farmington 72730
Saturday, May 1, 2010, Pulaski Technical College, The Grand Hall A and B, The Campus Center, 3000 West Scenic Drive, North Little Rock 72118
To qualify for state fee support ($2,500 and three days leave to work on certification) a teacher must:
be licensed as an Arkansas teacher or school counselor,
have taught in an Arkansas public school system at least three years prior to candidacy,
currently teach in an Arkansas public school, and
attend an NBPTS support orientation.
NOTE: The required three years teaching experience in an Arkansas public school must be with an initial (3-year) and/or standard (5-year) teaching license in order to receive the state funding application. Years taught with a provisional (1-year) license do not count toward the required three years experience.
Unsuccessful state-funded candidates must repay state funds expended on behalf of the candidate, as must state-funded Nationally Board Certified teachers who do not comply with legal requirements concerning teaching tenure following certification.
Interested individuals are required to register at the Arkansas Department of Educations National Board Certification Program web page, http://www.arkansased.org/educators/recognition/nbct.html beginning in early-February 2010.
There is no cost for attendance, and refreshments will be provided by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).