Education Program Protocol
The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (ADE) approval is required for any institution of higher education prior to implementing a new program of study that prepares candidates for any professional educator license in Arkansas or revising an existing approved program for licensure. ADE is responsible for oversight of the program review and approval process at the state level. (Ark.Code Ann. §6-11-105, §6-17-422, and §6-17-402).
The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) must grant approval prior to implementation of any professional education program at Arkansas public universities (Ark. Code Ann. §6-61-208) or at postsecondary institutions certified to operate in Arkansas (Ark. Code Ann. §6-61-301). The DESE Rules Governing Educator Licensure and DESE Rules Governing Educator Support and Development should also be considered to ensure candidates within programs are in compliance prior to licensure application.
Letter of Intent and Letter of Notification information can be found here.