Initial Licensure
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Effective January 1, 2002, Arkansas transitioned into a performance-based licensure system. Beginning teachers (novice teachers with less than one year of teaching experience) will follow this track:

• A minimum of a bachelor's level degree is required for all teaching licenses.
• All teachers must have successfully completed the following testing:
  • Praxis I, reading, writing, math
  • Praxis II, content test for all parts required
  • Praxis III, Principles of Learning and Teaching
• All applicants must successfully complete the required criminal
  background check.
• Persons who complete the above requirements through an approved Arkansas teacher education program or the Arkansas Non-Traditional Licensure Program are eligible for an initial teaching license. An initial teaching license is valid for not less than one year, and no more than three years. During the initial licensure time, novice teachers are considered to be in a time of induction.
• During induction, novice teachers will have a site-based, trained mentor assigned to support their practice and professional growth. When novice teachers and their mentors decide that their teaching meets the mentoring requirements, the capstone experience of induction, which is the Praxis III performance assessment, will be scheduled.
• Upon successful completion of the performance assessment a standard teaching license will be issued.
• Licensure renewal is based upon a five-year cycle, during which all educators are required to accrue 60 professional development hours per year.

Areas and Levels of Licensure

• Areas and Levels of Licensure by Code Numbers - PDF Oct. 11, 2006