Scheduled Professional Development (K-12)

Scheduled Professional Development required under Section 6 of theRules Governing Professional Development shall include content that is provided by:

ADE, including ArkansasIDEAS
An institution of higher education
A provider approved by ADE
An education service cooperative

A school district or an open-enrollment public charter school shall make available to the appropriate educator required professional development as noted on the following schedule as part of the minimum annual requirement:

Minimum Annual PD Requirements

Each educator shall obtain 36 hours of professional development annually. These 36 hours of professional development shall include at a minimum the professional development required by law or rule. School districts are responsible for monitoring and verifying the completion of professional development hours.

(i) “Basic contract” means a teacher employment contract for one hundred ninety (190) days that includes no less than six (6) days of professional development, except as provided under subdivision (1)(B) of this section for teachers employed in a Civilian Student Training Program or the Arkansas National Guard Youth Challenge Program.

(ii) A public school district shall not require more than four (4) days of professional development in addition to the six (6) days of professional development included in a basic contract under subdivision (1)(A)(i) of this section.

(6-17-2402)

Other Professional Development Requirement

Human Trafficking – beginning in 2018-19, and each year thereafter, a school district shall make available to licensed personnel thirty (30) minutes of professional development on recognizing and reporting human trafficking [6-17-710]

Athletic Coaches – at least once every three (3) years, training in recognition and management regarding events or conditions* that may be encountered by a student during athletic training and physical activities [6-18-708]

Administrators – annual professional development in data disaggregation, instructional leadership and fiscal management*

* Please refer to the ADE Rules Governing Professional Development for specific topics and licensure area requirements.