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2017 Arkansas Code
Title 6 - Education
Subtitle 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education Generally
Chapter 17 - Personnel
Subchapter 7 - Professional Development
§ 6-17-704. Professional development plan -- Definition
Universal Citation: AR Code § 6-17-704 (2017)
- (a) As used in this section, "professional development" means a set of coordinated planned learning activities for teachers, administrators, and nonlicensed school employees that:
- (1) Is required by statute or by the Department of Education; or
- (2) Meets the following criteria:
- (A) Is part of the minimum number of professional development hours required by law or by the department;
- (B) Improves the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of teachers;
- (C) Improves the knowledge and skills of administrators and paraprofessionals concerning effective instructional strategies, methods, and skills;
- (D) Leads to improved student academic achievement; and
- (E) Is research-based and standards-based.
- (b) The purpose of professional development is to improve teaching and learning in order to facilitate individual, school-wide, and system-wide improvements designed to ensure that all students demonstrate proficiency on state academic standards.
- (c)
- (1) Annually, each school district shall prepare a professional development plan.
- (2)
- (A) Teachers, administrators, and classified school employees shall be involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of their respective professional development offerings under the plan.
- (B) The evaluation results shall be given to each group of employees in the school district and used to improve professional development offerings.
- (d) The professional development offerings may include approved conferences, workshops, institutes, individual learning, mentoring, peer-coaching, study groups, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, distance learning, micro-credentialing approved by the department, internships, and college or university course work.
- (e) The professional development under this section:
- (1) Shall comply with the Department of Education Rules Governing Professional Development; and
- (2) May provide educators with knowledge and skills needed to teach:
- (A) Students with disabilities, including without limitation autism; and
- (B) Culturally and linguistically diverse students.
- (f) A teacher shall complete any missed hours of professional development through professional development that is:
- (1) Substantially similar to the professional development missed and approved by the person responsible for the teacher's summative evaluation under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, § 6-17-2801 et seq.; and
- (2) Delivered by any method, online or otherwise, approved by the Department of Education under the State Board of Education rules.
- (g) Accreditation for or approval of professional development for public school teachers and administrators is governed by the rules of the state board.
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