Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1496 3
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By: Representative Andrews 5
By: Senator J. Dotson 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE TO 9
ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY QUALIFIED 10
TEACHERS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE 15
TO ENSURE ARKANSAS STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT 16
BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. 17
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -15-1004(b) and (c), concerning 21
requirements to renew a teaching license and licensure exceptions, are 22
amended to read as follows: 23
(b)(1) To renew a teaching license, a teacher shall participate in 24
continuing education and professional development: 25
(A) Based on the teacher's evaluation and professional 26
growth plan under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, § 6 -17-2801 et 27
seq.; 28
(B) As required under § 6 -17-704 and other laws; and 29
(C)(B) As required by rule of the state board. 30
(2)(A) For purposes of the requirement for continuing education 31
and professional development under the Standards for Accreditation of 32
Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts, five (5) hours of credit for 33
professional development shall be given for each one (1) hour of college 34
credit for a graduate -level course if the college credit is: 35
(i) Related to and enhances the teacher's knowledge 36 HB1496
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of the subject area in which the teacher is currently teaching; 1
(ii) Part of the requirements for the teacher to 2
obtain additional licensure in a subject matter that has been designated by 3
the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education as having a critical 4
shortage of teachers; or 5
(iii) Otherwise approved by the Division of 6
Elementary and Secondary Education under subdivision (b)(2)(B) of this 7
section as a graduate -level course eligible for professional development 8
credit. 9
(B)(i) Credit for professional development obtained under 10
subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section may be allocated as follows: 11
(a) Up to fifteen (15) hours may be credited 12
to the professional development requirements for licensure; and 13
(b) Hours obtained in excess of fifteen (15) 14
may be credited to any remaining requirements for professional development 15
generally, if approved by the school district in a professional development 16
plan. 17
(ii) The allocation of credit for professional 18
development claimed under subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section shall be 19
approved by the: 20
(a) School district or open -enrollment public 21
charter school employing the teacher; or 22
(b) Division of Elementary and Secondary 23
Education, if the educator is not employed by a school district or an open -24
enrollment public charter school. 25
(C) For purposes of the requirement for continuing 26
education and professional development under this section, each hour of 27
training received by licensed personnel related to teaching an advanced 28
placement class for a subject covered by the College Board and Educational 29
Testing Service shall be counted as professional development up to a maximum 30
of thirty (30) hours. 31
(3)(2) However, nothing Nothing in subdivision (b)(2) of this 32
section this subsection (b) shall prevent or restrict a school district from 33
requiring additional in -service training. 34
(c)(1) A teacher shall not only be assigned to teach a grade level or 35
a subject for which he or she is not fully or provisionally licensed by the 36 HB1496
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state unless he or she meets one (1) of the following licensure exceptions as 1
established by rules promulgated by the state board: or for which he or she 2
is on a licensure plan approved by the division. 3
(1)(A) An emergency teaching permit granted to a school district 4
for a position filled by a nonlicensed teacher who meets the Arkansas 5
Qualified Teacher requirements promulgated by the state board. 6
(B) An emergency teaching permit may be granted annually 7
for not more than two (2) consecutive school years; 8
(2) An effective teacher licensure exception granted to a school 9
district for a position to be filled by an Arkansas licensed educator to 10
teach a content area related to the educator's current licensure content 11
area; 12
(3) A technical permit issued in cooperation with the Division 13
of Career and Technical Education; 14
(4) An Aspiring Teacher permit; 15
(5) A licensure exception under: 16
(A) The District of Innovation Program, § 6 -15-2801 et 17
seq.; 18
(B) The Arkansas Quality Charter Schools Act of 2013, § 6-19
23-101 et seq.; or 20
(C) Section 6-15-103; 21
(6) A plan for adding an area to an existing Arkansas teaching 22
license while teaching in the content area to be added; or 23
(7) A waiver for a long -term substitute teacher granted under 24
subsection (d) of this section. 25
(2)(A) At the request of a public school district, the division 26
may approve an individual's licensure plan under this section. 27
(B) A licensure plan may be initially approved under this 28
section for a period not to exceed three (3) years. 29
(C)(i) The division may grant, upon the request of an 30
individual on a licensure plan, an extension of a licensure plan for up to 31
two (2) additional years due to an extenuating circumstance. 32
(ii) However, the division may grant an individual 33
an extension of his or her licensure plan only one (1) time. 34
(D) The state board may promulgate rules governing 35
licensure plans granted under this section. 36 HB1496
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(E) The provisions of this subsection (c) shall not be 1
waived under § 6-15-103. 2
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6 -15-1004(d), concerning long -term 4
substitutes, is amended to add an additional subdivision to read as follows: 5
(6) A public school district may request the use of a long -term 6
substitute under this subsection (d) for a specified period not to extend 7
beyond the school year for which the request is made. 8
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