Alternate Route Usage and Providers: Arkansas

Analysis of Arkansas's policies

Although it does not place restrictions on providers, Arkansas limits the usage of its alternate routes.

Beginning in the 2013-2014 program year, the Arkansas Professional Pathway to Educator Licensure (APPEL) route is no longer available for Early Childhood P-4 or Elementary K-6 candidates. 

APPEL is a state-run program administered by the Arkansas Department of Education. Arkansas has also approved Teach For America and Arkansas Teacher Corps as an alternate route provider. 

Citation

Arkansas Code 6-17-409(e)(2) Arkansas Professional Pathway to Educator Licensure http://www.teacharkansas.org/non-trad-lic-program%202010.html Arkansas Teacher Corps http://arkansasteachercorps.org/

Recommendations for Arkansas

Broaden alternate route usage.

Arkansas should reconsider grade-level and subject-area restrictions on its alternate route. Alternate routes should not be programs of last resort for hard-to-staff subjects, grade levels or geographic areas but rather a way to expand the teacher pipeline throughout the state.  

Further expand the diversity of alternate route providers.

Arkansas should continue to consider policies that encourage additional providers beyond Teach For America and Arkansas Teacher Corps to operate programs, including school districts and other nonprofit organizations.

State response to our analysis

Arkansas was helpful in providing NCTQ with facts that enhanced this analysis.

In addition, Arkansas noted that the state has more early childhood teachers than positions available. Currently the state has 19,755 teachers licensed in early childhood and only 14,234 are actively teaching in Arkansas public schools. This leaves 5,521 early childhood teachers without teaching positions. 

The state asserted that nontraditional licensure is also difficult for generalist licenses such as early childhood. Generalist licenses, such as early childhood, require preparation in all content areas. Nontraditional candidates generally have a content degree in one area. These two factors should be sufficient evidence of Arkansas's decision to cease nontraditional licensure for early childhood.

The state does allow nontraditional licensure for middle level licensure (4-8) because there is not a "glut," and 4-8 teachers are departmentalized and usually teach no more than two content areas.

Last word

Unfortunately, the state's response illustrates the belief that alternate routes are a lesser certification option, acceptable only where there is not an adequate supply of traditionally prepared teachers. This perspective prevents these routes from being a true alternative that creates another pipeline for talented, nontraditional candidates to enter the classroom. If the state has an oversupply of elementary teachers, the state should consider raising admission and other requirements for all programs, whether traditional or alternative. For example, to address the state's concern about content area generalists, the state could raise the bar significantly on its licensure test requirements given the oversupply. This would reduce the oversupply and provide more confidence that all teachers, whether traditionally or alternatively prepared, know the content.