Because DESE recognizes the impact that teacher leadership has on school reform, the Lead Professional Educator designation was created to provide exceptional teachers with a way to lead from within the classroom. Districts are encouraged to utilize teachers with the Lead Professional Educator designation to fulfill various leadership roles, tailored to the school’s culture and climate. In addition, the Lead Professional Educator designation is a licensure requirement for teachers aspiring to be an experienced mentor teacher to three specific groups of novice teachers:

• Teachers on Aspiring Teacher Permits
• Arkansas Registered Apprentices
• Yearlong supervised residents completing state-approved Educator Preparation Programs (effective Spring 2027)
  

DESE has approved several competency-based pathways that provide job-embedded professional learning to obtain the Lead Professional Educator designation. Teachers interested in receiving the Lead Professional Educator designation must complete the following: 

1. An approved Lead Professional Educator Pathway.  To view the approved pathways, click here.

2. Documentation of three (3) years of licensed teaching experience. This experience may include time spent teaching with a provisional license; however, the teacher must have a standard Arkansas teaching license to be eligible to add the designation. Teaching Experience Verification Form

3. Evidence of an effective or highly effective rating on TESS on the applicant’s most recent summative teacher evaluation conducted within the previous 4 years. (Educator Effectiveness no longer has access to ratings in EdReflect. The only rating that can be pulled is from the Educator Effectiveness System.)

4. Submit application in the Arkansas Educator Licensure System (AELS)

For more information, please contact: