Professional Development Frequently Asked Questions
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All numbers in parentheses following the answers refer to specific sections of the Rules approved by the State Board of Education.

General

• Where can I find the Rules for Professional Development (PD)?
• What is professional development; what is a professional development program and what is the purpose of professional development?
• How much professional development is required every year and who is responsible for acquiring it?
• Is there a difference in the focus areas for the administrator?
• What is required for professional development programs to be approved by the ADE?
• When must the required professional development hours be earned?
• In addition to a school plan, is each district required to have a professional development plan?
• Who is involved in developing, implementing, and evaluating the district school professional development plan?
• In the approved district professional development calendar year (June 1-May 31 or July 1-June 30), when can professional development be scheduled?
• How are professional development hours documented for earning the required 60 hours and for renewing a license?
• How is professional development verified for teachers employed outside the public school arena? How do I submit verification of professional development?
• Can professional development paid for by Federal funds count toward the State’s 60-hour requirement?

Professional Development Activities

• What are some of the ways to meet the professional development hours?
• What types of activities or programs cannot be included in the required professional development hours?
• May I take college courses to get my professional development?
• Can someone who is making a presentation or providing professional development receive extra credit for professional development?
• Does teaching a college course count for professional development hours?
• When you take a course on the ArkansasIDEAS web site do you get technology hours as well? For instance if you take a 2 hour course on Arkansas History, do you get your Arkansas History hours as well as counting that toward your 6 technology hours?
• Are there charges for professional development courses in the ArkansasIDEAS portal?

Special Situations

• How can I get professional development when not employed in an Arkansas public school, educational cooperative or university?
• If I’m not employed in a public school, who pays for the professional development that I have to complete?
• Who will approve the professional development for renewal for teachers not working?
• I have read the Rules for professional development and believe it addresses employed teachers. Where does it say that teachers not working have to get professional development?
• Everything I have read about professional development says professional development is to be based on student achievement and the school improvement plan. How does that apply to me when I’m not employed by a school district?
• I just moved from another state and began teaching in the middle of the year. Am I still responsible for 60 hours of professional development for this school year?
• If my professional development hours were completed out of state, will I receive credit for them?
• If I miss getting 60 hours of professional development one year, why should I try to get it the other years, since I won’t be able to renew under General Renewal Requirements anyway?
• I am a newly retired teacher. My school district needs me to help with testing, but they require a licensed teacher. I do not want to take 60 hours of professional development every year to keep my license current just so I can help them once a year. Why should I?
• I am a college instructor and I want to keep my license current. Why should I have to get 2 hours of parental involvement and 6 hours of educational technology? I have no contact with public school-age children.
• I do not have a Standard 5-year license at this time. Am I required to obtain 60 hours of professional development?