Early Childhood PreK Special Education Teacher Academies prepare licensed public-school teachers to add the Early Childhood PreK Special Education endorsement. All programs include 12 hours of graduate coursework delivered both synchronously and asynchronously and can be completed in one year or less. The Academy is for teachers currently licensed in Early Childhood PreK (#517), Early Childhood P-4 (#001), or Elementary Education K-6 (#183 or #253) employed by an Arkansas public school or an educational cooperative on behalf of a school district to serve children with disabilities. The Early Childhood PreK Special Education Teacher Academy will be at no cost to the participant. 

Preliminary rosters for the Academy starting in January 2024 have been set. You will receive a communication from the University on their application process. Communications will go out sometime after November 3. Be sure to check your junk folder in your email.   

If you did not submit a DESE interest form, contact the University directly to see if spots are still available. Contact information is available in the flyers below:
Henderson State University                             University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

For more information, please contact:

Danita Pitts, Early Childhood 619 Program Coordinator
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
1401 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 450
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-4289 
Cell: 501-529-6939
Fax: 501-682-5168
Email: danita.pitts@ade.arkansas.gov