(a)
(1) Arkansas teachers will demonstrate competency in subject matter content on identified assessments appropriate to their teaching area in order to be granted a license to teach in the state under rules promulgated by the State Board of Education.
(2) If there is no assessment available under subdivision (a)(1) of this section for a new licensure area for subject matter content, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education may request that the state board approve an alternative method of demonstrating subject matter content competency.
(b) In order to obtain a teaching license, Arkansas teachers will demonstrate the ability to increase student academic achievement by demonstrating competency on assessments of teaching methods approved by the state board that result in increased student achievement.
(c)
(1) To renew a teaching license, a teacher shall participate in continuing education and professional development:
(A) Based on the teacher's evaluation and professional growth plan under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, § 6-17-2801 et seq.;
(B) As required under § 6-17-704 and other law; and
(C) As required by rule of the state board.
(2)
(A) For purposes of the requirement for continuing education and professional development under the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts, five (5) hours of credit for professional development shall be given for each one (1) hour of college credit for a graduate-level course if the college credit is:
(i) Related to and enhances the teacher's knowledge of the subject area in which the teacher is currently teaching;
(ii) Part of the requirements for the teacher to obtain additional licensure in a subject matter that has been designated by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education as having a critical shortage of teachers; or
(iii) Otherwise approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education under subdivision (c)(2)(B) of this section as a graduate-level course eligible for professional development credit.
(B)
(i) Credit for professional development obtained under subdivision (c)(2)(A) of this section may be allocated as follows:
(a) Up to fifteen (15) hours may be credited to the professional development requirements for licensure; and
(b) Hours obtained in excess of fifteen (15) may be credited to any remaining requirements for professional development generally, if approved by the school district in a professional development plan.
(ii) The allocation of credit for professional development claimed under subdivision (c)(2)(A) of this section shall be approved by the:
(a) School district or public charter school employing the teacher; or
(b) Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, if the educator is not employed by a school district or public charter school.
(C) For purposes of the requirement for continuing education and professional development under this section, each hour of training received by licensed personnel related to teaching an advanced placement class for a subject covered by the College Board and Educational Testing Service shall be counted as professional development up to a maximum of thirty (30) hours.
(3) However, nothing in subdivision (c)(2) of this section shall prevent or restrict a school district from requiring additional in-service training.
(d) A teacher shall not be assigned to teach a grade level or a subject for which he or she is not fully or provisionally licensed by the state unless he or she meets one (1) of the following licensure exceptions as established by rules promulgated by the state board:
(1)
(A) An emergency teaching permit granted to a school district for a position filled by a nonlicensed teacher who meets the Arkansas Qualified Teacher requirements promulgated by the state board.
(B) An emergency teaching permit may be granted annually for not more than two (2) consecutive school years;
(2) An effective teacher licensure exception granted to a school district for a position to be filled by an Arkansas licensed educator to teach a content area related to the educator's current licensure content area;
(3) A technical permit issued in cooperation with the Division of Career and Technical Education;
(4) A licensure exception under:
(A) The District of Innovation Program, § 6-15-2801 et seq.;
(B) The Arkansas Quality Charter Schools Act of 2013, § 6-23-101 et seq.; or
(C) Section 6-15-103;
(5) A plan for adding an area to an existing Arkansas teaching license while teaching in the content area to be added; or
(6) A waiver for a long-term substitute teacher granted under subsection (e) of this section.
(e)
(1) For purposes of this section, “long-term substitute” means an individual who:
(A) Holds:
(i) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; or
(ii) An Arkansas teaching license; and
(B) Is substituting for a teacher of record for thirty-one (31) or more consecutive school days in the same class during a school year.
(2) No class of students shall be under the instruction of one (1) or more substitute teachers for more than thirty (30) consecutive school days in the same class during a school year unless the school district has obtained a long-term substitute waiver.
(3) A long-term substitute teacher or teachers shall continue to teach the class from at least the thirty-first consecutive day after the regular teacher is absent from the class until the return of the regular teacher to that class.
(4) A person serving as a substitute teacher for thirty (30) days or fewer shall:
(A) Be a high school graduate; or
(B) Hold a graduate equivalent degree.
(5) The state board shall develop rules for granting a long-term substitute waiver.