Approved Professional Development Provider
Professional Development Approvals (K-12)
All professional development providers and programs must be approved by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) before a program is offered to Arkansas educators in order to provide credit toward the minimum annual requirement.
To obtain approval as an ADE Approved Professional Development Provider, establish an account and submit applications at least thirty (30) days ahead of time to seek approval via the Arkansas Professional Development Submission and Management (PDSAM) portal. An Approval Code for Professional Development provided to licensed educators is valid for one (1) fiscal year.
The following entities and agencies are not required to obtain approval as an Approved Professional Development Provider for programs offered to licensed educators:
- an Arkansas public school district that provides a professional development program solely to its own personnel;
- an Education Cooperative that provides professional development to districts/schools;
- the Arkansas Department of Education;
- the Arkansas Department of Career Education;
- and the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.
Arkansas School Board Member Training Approvals
According to the Rules Governing Required Training for Arkansas School Board Members, any instruction provided directly to board members by either an institution of higher learning in this State, the ADE, or the Arkansas School Boards Association (ASBA), that meets the training content requirements this Rule, shall not require pre-approval by the ADE.
All others who wish to provide approved training for Arkansas’s School Board Members shall obtain approval to become an ADE Approved Professional Development Provider, by establishing an account and submitting applications at least thirty (30) days ahead of time via the Arkansas PDSAM portal. An Approval Code for Arkansas School Board Training is valid for one (1) calendar year.
