Add a Degree

Add an Area or Level to a License

Teachers and administrators may add additional areas of licensure to the standard Arkansas teaching license by one of the two methods described below.

Two Ways to Add Areas of Licensure or Endorsements

(1) Testing Out

• To add a licensure level by testing out, the level to be added must be no
  more than one-grade level span above or one-grade level span below a current licensed area, unless the applicant has completed three (3) years of teaching at the licensure level sought to be added.
  
• Educators cannot test out of Special Education, Birth-Kindergarten; Exception Area Endorsements (See APPENDIX A: LEVELS AND AREAS OF LICENSURE); Adult Education; areas of Educational Leadership and Supervision;  or Ancillary Student Services areas.
• The Office of Educator Licensure will add the new area upon receipt of a completed - online application requesting the new area with a copy of the Praxis II Specialty Area score report reflecting a passing score for the area to be added.
• New Exam for Testing Out of Elementary Education (K-6): In addition to current requirements, an applicant for an Elementary Education (K-6) license who is adding the area by testing out after September 1, 2017, shall pass the Pearson Foundations of Reading Test.  (Act 416 of 2017) The link to the testing website will be provided as soon as it is available.

(2) Program of Study and Required Assessment

• Whenever an area of licensure/endorsement cannot be added by testing out, the educator shall document on an official college transcript, the successful completion of all coursework that is required for adding the new area of licensure. A current Praxis II score report reflecting a passing score for the subject area being added shall also be provided by the educator. The application must be recommended by an approved Arkansas university licensure officer. An applicant whose coursework was completed more than 10 years prior to the date of application shall complete current requirements. When coursework has been completed through an out-of-state university, the area must first be applied to the out-of-state license.
• New Exam for Adding Elementary Education (K-6) or Special Education (K-12) by Program of Study: In addition to current requirements, an applicant for an Elementary Education (K-6) or a Special Education (K-12) license who is adding the area by a program of study, and begins the program of study or pathway in or after the Fall semester of the 2017-2018 academic year shall pass the Foundations of Reading Test. (Act 416 of 2017) The link to the testing website will be provided as soon as it is available.
• The Driver’s Education Endorsement is available only by completing a 6-hour program of study. Per the Rules Governing Educator Licensure, educators adding an endorsement to a standard teaching license must pass a performance assessment after completing the program of study.
  

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