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Educator Licensure - Teacher Licensure - Arkansas Reciprocity at a Glance
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The Office of Professional Licensure will process only those applications that are complete and have the required documentation for either a one-year provisional teaching license or a standard five-year teaching license.  Applications that are incomplete or that have incomplete documentation will be returned.

A three-hour Arkansas History course will be required for Arkansas licensure when for Early Childhood, Elementary and Middle School licensure areas and for Secondary Social Studies.

Required Documentation

Documentation required for a one-year provisional teaching license:

  • Completed application
  • Official transcripts of all college coursework and degrees (official transcripts will be accepted from the applicant.)
  • Copy of current/expired, out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license
  • Documentation (copies of the fingerprint card and application for the background check) that the required background checks have been started. A teaching license will not be issued until the applicant has cleared background checks conducted by the Arkansas State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
  • All out-of-country applicants must have their credentials (degree, license) evaluated by one of the approved private evaluation agencies located in the United States.

Documentation required for a five-year standard teaching license:

  • Completed application
  • Official transcripts of all college coursework and degrees (Official transcripts will be accepted from the applicant.)
  • Copy of current, out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license
  • Documentation (copies of the fingerprint card and application for the background check) that the required background checks have been started. A teaching license will not be issued until the applicant has cleared background checks conducted by the Arkansas State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
  • Documentation that some standardized test was required for the issuance of the current out-of-state or out-of-country teaching license or copies of passing scores on the required Praxis exams for Arkansas licensure or documenting at least three-years of teaching experience.
  • Verification of grade level teaching experience on school letterhead or enclosed form
  • Documentation that a three (3) hour Arkansas History course has been completed if the licensure area is Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School areas or Secondary Social Studies.
  • All out-of-country applicants must have their credentials (degree, license) evaluated by one of the approved private evaluation agencies located in the United States.

Additional Information

  • A one-year, non-renewable provisional teaching license will be available for applicants with a current/expired out-of-state or out-of-country license, but who lack the required testing, the three hour Arkansas History course, or cannot document three years of teaching experience.
  • Registration booklets for the Praxis series of exams may be secured on-line at www.ets.org/praxis/prxar.html.
  • Application packets for Arkansas licensure through reciprocity may also be secured through the Office of Professional Licensure.

For more information, please contact:

Ron Tolson, Professional Licensure Coordinator
Arkansas Department of Education
Office of Professional Licensure
Four Capitol Mall, Room 107-B
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-4342
Fax: 501-682-4898