2019 Arkansas Code
Title 6 - Education
Subtitle 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education Generally
Chapter 17 - Personnel
Subchapter 3 - Employment and Assignment
§ 6-17-309. Licensure - Waiver

(a)

• (1) No class of students shall be under the instruction of a teacher who is not licensed to teach the grade level or subject matter of the class for more than thirty (30) consecutive school days in the same class during a school year.

• (2) This provision shall not apply to:

  • (A) Nondegreed vocational-technical teachers;

  • (B) Those persons approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to teach the grade level or subject matter of the class in the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education's distance learning program;

  • (C) Those persons teaching concurrent credit courses or advanced placement courses who:

    • (i) Are employed by a postsecondary institution;

    • (ii) Meet the qualification requirements of that institution or the Division of Career and Technical Education; and

    • (iii) Are teaching in a course in which credit is offered by an institution of higher education or a technical institute;

  • (D) Licensed teachers teaching in the following settings:

    • (i) An alternative learning environment;

    • (ii) A juvenile detention facility;

    • (iii) A residential and day alcohol, drug, and psychiatric facility program;

    • (iv) An emergency youth shelter;

    • (v) A facility of the Division of Youth Services; or

    • (vi) A facility of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services of the Department of Human Services; and

  • (E) A licensed special education teacher teaching two (2) or more core academic subjects exclusively to children with disabilities.

(b)

• (1) If this requirement imposes an undue hardship on a school district, the school district may apply to the State Board of Education for a waiver.

• (2) The state board shall develop rules for granting a waiver.

• (3) Any school district that obtains a waiver shall send written notice of the assignment to the parent or guardian of each student in the classroom no later than the thirtieth school day after the date of the assignment.

• (4) The state board may waive or modify the requirement that an applicant seeking licensure as a special education teacher complete an additional performance-based program of study if the applicant:

  • (A) Is licensed in another state with a special education license or endorsement; and

  • (B) Has taught special education students for not less than five (5) years.