Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1496
4
5 By: Representative Andrews
6 By: Senator J. Dotson
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO
10 ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED
11 TEACHERS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE
16 TO ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT
17 BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS.
18
19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
20
21 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 6-15-1004(b) and (c), concerning
22 requirements to renew a teaching license and licensure exceptions, are
23 amended to read as follows:
24 (b)(1) To renew a teaching license, a teacher shall participate in
25 continuing education and professional development:
26 (A) Based on the teacher's evaluation and professional
27 growth plan under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, � 6-17-2801 et
28 seq.;
29 (B) As required under � 6-17-704 and other laws; and
30 (C)(B) As required by rule of the state board.
31 (2)(A) For purposes of the requirement for continuing education
32 and professional development under the Standards for Accreditation of
33 Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts, five (5) hours of credit for
34 professional development shall be given for each one (1) hour of college
35 credit for a graduate-level course if the college credit is:
36 (i) Related to and enhances the teacher's knowledge
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1 of the subject area in which the teacher is currently teaching;
2 (ii) Part of the requirements for the teacher to
3 obtain additional licensure in a subject matter that has been designated by
4 the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education as having a critical
5 shortage of teachers; or
6 (iii) Otherwise approved by the Division of
7 Elementary and Secondary Education under subdivision (b)(2)(B) of this
8 section as a graduate-level course eligible for professional development
9 credit.
10 (B)(i) Credit for professional development obtained under
11 subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section may be allocated as follows:
12 (a) Up to fifteen (15) hours may be credited
13 to the professional development requirements for licensure; and
14 (b) Hours obtained in excess of fifteen (15)
15 may be credited to any remaining requirements for professional development
16 generally, if approved by the school district in a professional development
17 plan.
18 (ii) The allocation of credit for professional
19 development claimed under subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section shall be
20 approved by the:
21 (a) School district or open-enrollment public
22 charter school employing the teacher; or
23 (b) Division of Elementary and Secondary
24 Education, if the educator is not employed by a school district or an open-
25 enrollment public charter school.
26 (C) For purposes of the requirement for continuing
27 education and professional development under this section, each hour of
28 training received by licensed personnel related to teaching an advanced
29 placement class for a subject covered by the College Board and Educational
30 Testing Service shall be counted as professional development up to a maximum
31 of thirty (30) hours.
32 (3)(2) However, nothing Nothing in subdivision (b)(2) of this
33 section this subsection (b) shall prevent or restrict a school district from
34 requiring additional in-service training.
35 (c)(1) A teacher shall not only be assigned to teach a grade level or
36 a subject for which he or she is not fully or provisionally licensed by the
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1 state unless he or she meets one (1) of the following licensure exceptions as
2 established by rules promulgated by the state board: or for which he or she
3 is on a licensure plan approved by the division.
4 (1)(A) An emergency teaching permit granted to a school district
5 for a position filled by a nonlicensed teacher who meets the Arkansas
6 Qualified Teacher requirements promulgated by the state board.
7 (B) An emergency teaching permit may be granted annually
8 for not more than two (2) consecutive school years;
9 (2) An effective teacher licensure exception granted to a school
10 district for a position to be filled by an Arkansas licensed educator to
11 teach a content area related to the educator's current licensure content
12 area;
13 (3) A technical permit issued in cooperation with the Division
14 of Career and Technical Education;
15 (4) An Aspiring Teacher permit;
16 (5) A licensure exception under:
17 (A) The District of Innovation Program, � 6-15-2801 et
18 seq.;
19 (B) The Arkansas Quality Charter Schools Act of 2013, � 6-
20 23-101 et seq.; or
21 (C) Section 6-15-103;
22 (6) A plan for adding an area to an existing Arkansas teaching
23 license while teaching in the content area to be added; or
24 (7) A waiver for a long-term substitute teacher granted under
25 subsection (d) of this section.
26 (2)(A) At the request of a public school district, the division
27 may approve an individual's licensure plan under this section.
28 (B) A licensure plan may be initially approved under this
29 section for a period not to exceed three (3) years.
30 (C)(i) The division may grant, upon the request of an
31 individual on a licensure plan, an extension of a licensure plan for up to
32 two (2) additional years due to an extenuating circumstance.
33 (ii) However, the division may grant an individual
34 an extension of his or her licensure plan only one (1) time.
35 (D) The state board may promulgate rules governing
36 licensure plans granted under this section.
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1 (E) The provisions of this subsection (c) shall not be
2 waived under � 6-15-103.
3
4 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 6-15-1004(d), concerning long-term
5 substitutes, is amended to add an additional subdivision to read as follows:
6 (6) A public school district may request the use of a long-term
7 substitute under this subsection (d) for a specified period not to extend
8 beyond the school year for which the request is made.
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4 02/14/2025 1:41:56 PM TNL186Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.