(a) As used in this section, “alternative educator preparation program” means a program of study approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education for candidates holding a bachelor's degree who are preparing for licensure as teachers and leaders in public schools in this state.
(b)
(1) The State Board of Education may offer and operate an alternative educator preparation program.
(2)
(A) The division may provide grants of financial assistance to entities that train individuals seeking to obtain licensure through an alternative educator preparation program administered by the division.
(B) The division shall pay the grants from funds appropriated by the General Assembly to the division for such purpose.
(C) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to determine eligibility for and amount of awards of the grants concerning the operation of the alternative educator preparation program authorized by this section and for such other purposes as may be necessary in carrying out the intent of this section.
(3) The division may refuse to admit for enrollment in the alternative educator preparation program administered by the division a person who has been dismissed from a teacher education program at an institution of higher education.
(4) If the State Board of Education requires an applicant for licensure through an alternative educator preparation program to complete one (1) or more additional college-level courses and the applicant has obtained a bachelor's degree, the required course or courses shall be available as an online course, a traditional face-to-face course, or a hybrid course that is part online instruction and part face-to-face instruction, as approved by the division.
(c) The State Board of Education may promulgate rules for the requirements for educator licensure through other alternative educator preparation programs, including without limitation:
(1) A teacher or leader academy;
(2) A residency program at a public school, which may be in partnership with an educator preparation program at an institution of higher education;
(3) The Teach For America, Inc., program;
(4) The Arkansas Teacher Corps program of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville;
(5) The American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence program;
(6) Another alternative educator preparation program approved by the division;
(7) A program conferring a master's degree in teaching from an accredited program at an institution of higher education; or
(8) An alternative educator preparation program or pathway for an applicant who has professional work experience in the content area in which the applicant desires to obtain a license.
(d)
(1) The State Board of Education shall issue to an applicant who is in an alternative educator preparation program a provisional teaching license that is issued under the state board's rules governing provisional licensure.
(2) The provisional license is valid for the entire period that the applicant:
(A) Is participating in the alternative educator preparation program;
(B) Has not been determined to have an ethics violation under § 6-17-428; and
(C) Is teaching in an Arkansas public school.
(e) The State Board of Education may require an applicant for licensure under this section to submit proof of the following academic eligibility:
(1)
(A) Passing scores, as set by the state board, on subject matter content-area assessments or their substantial equivalents.
(B) As used in this subdivision (e)(1), “substantial equivalents” includes without limitation the assessments required by the American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence program and any alternative method of demonstrating subject matter content competency identified by the State Board of Education under § 6-15-1004.
(C) An individual under this section shall demonstrate pedagogical competence;
(2) Successful completion of professional educator ethics training identified by rules of the State Board of Education; and
(3) As required by State Board of Education rules for the grade level and content area for which the applicant seeks licensure, successful completion of courses in Arkansas history or reading and writing in content areas, or both.
(f) No academic or experience requirements for obtaining an Arkansas teaching license in addition to those identified in subsections (c)-(e) of this section shall be imposed on an applicant who has completed one of the programs under subdivisions (c)(3)-(5) and who otherwise meets the requirements of this section by:
(A) The State Board of Education;
(B) The division; or
(C) An Arkansas state-funded college or university.
(g) Each applicant for a provisional license under this section shall successfully complete the criminal records checks and Child Maltreatment Central Registry check under § 6-17-410 before the division may issue the license.