6 CAR Part 406 — Rules Governing the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program

Chapter IV

Subchapter B

Subpart 1

6 CAR § 406-101 Definitions {#sec-6-car-406-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-406--6 CAR § 406-101}

6 CAR § 406-101. Definitions.

As used in this part:

(1) “Academy attendee” means an individual who is enrolled in an Arkansas Teacher Academy at an eligible postsecondary institution who is a:

(A) Current teacher;

(B) Teacher who has graduated from an Arkansas Teacher Academy at an eligible postsecondary institution; or

(C) Current student;

(2) “Eligible postsecondary institution” means a public or private two-year or four-year institution of higher education that:

(A) Offers a postbaccalaureate program that leads to teacher certification; and

(B) Has entered into an agreement with the Division of Higher Education for purposes of the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program; and

(3) “Tuition and fees” means any one (1) of the following that is charged by an eligible postsecondary institution, associated with a program of study as part of the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program, that leads to teacher certification:

(A) Tuition;

(B) Mandatory fees; and

(C) Program fees.

6 CAR § 406-102 Implementation of program — Purpose {#sec-6-car-406-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-406--6 CAR § 406-102}

6 CAR § 406-102. Implementation of program — Purpose.

(a) An eligible postsecondary institution shall implement an Arkansas Teacher Academy to incentivize potential and enrolled academy attendees to:

(1) Enter the teaching profession; and

(2) Commit to teaching in:

(A) Arkansas public schools; or

(B) Critical shortage areas in Arkansas based on subject areas or geographical areas.

(b) The Division of Higher Education, in consultation with public and private postsecondary institutions, shall develop and implement a centralized administrative process for each Arkansas Teacher Academy, which shall include without limitation the following:

(1) A marketing and promotion plan to recruit academy attendees for an Arkansas Teacher Academy;

(2) Data collection and reporting;

(3) Tracking of postgraduation service requirements;

(4) Coordination of induction services;

(5) Distribution of moneys in the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program Fund between eligible postsecondary institutions;

(6) Collection of reimbursements from individuals who fail to meet the service requirements under this part;

(7) A process for assessing an academy attendee’s ability to repay financial assistance received if the academy attendee who receives financial assistance is physically or mentally unable to fulfill the requirements of an Arkansas Teacher Academy program; and

(8) A process for deferring service or repayment required by the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Program Act, Arkansas Code § 6-82-2201 et seq., based on factors adopted by the division.

6 CAR § 406-103 Eligible postsecondary institution duties {#sec-6-car-406-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-406--6 CAR § 406-103}

6 CAR § 406-103. Eligible postsecondary institution duties.

(a) An Arkansas Teacher Academy may include without limitation a new or existing teacher preparation program that utilizes proven, research-based models of best practices that are already being implemented in similar program pathways.

(b) An eligible postsecondary institution may develop a portfolio of teacher preparation programs to offer as part of its Arkansas Teacher Academy.

(c) An eligible postsecondary institution shall develop formal partnerships with Arkansas public schools to build commitments for teacher employment upon an academy attendee’s completion of an Arkansas Teacher Academy program.

(d) The targeted deployment of academy attendees who are currently teachers who have completed an Arkansas Teacher Academy program shall be based on the:

(1) Needs of each public school system;

(2) Community that is being served; and

(3) Individual skills of each current teacher who has completed an Arkansas Teacher Academy program.

(e) A program offered as part of an eligible postsecondary institution’s Arkansas Teacher Academy shall include accelerated program models for the following, without limitation:

(1) Subject areas and geographical areas identified by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education as experiencing a critical shortage of teachers;

(2) An individual seeking postbaccalaureate coursework that results in a professional certification; and

(3) A student in a noneducation program who seeks to complete one (1) or more teacher preparation courses leading to a teaching certification following graduation.

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-87 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-82-2207

6 CAR § 406-104 Scholarship amounts — Academy attendee requirements {#sec-6-car-406-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-406--6 CAR § 406-104}

6 CAR § 406-104. Scholarship amounts — Academy attendee requirements.

(a) Effective beginning the 2025 – 2026 academic year, each academy attendee that is accepted and enrolled in an Arkansas Teacher Academy program at an eligible postsecondary institution shall be awarded an annual scholarship, not to exceed the maximum award as determined by the Division of Higher Education each eligible semester, up to the actual cost of the:

(1) Eligible postsecondary institution’s tuition and fees, for a maximum of:

(A) Two (2) academic years, four (4) academic semesters, not to exceed sixty (60) academic hours, or completion of the program for graduate students enrolled in a Teacher Academy at an eligible postsecondary institution;

(B) Four (4) academic years, eight (8) academic semesters, not to exceed one hundred twenty (120) academic hours, or completion of the program for undergraduate students enrolled in a Teacher Academy at an eligible postsecondary institution; and

(C)(i) Two (2) academic years, four (4) academic semesters, not to exceed sixty (60) academic hours, or completion of the program for community college students enrolled in a Teacher Academy Program at an eligible postsecondary institution.

(ii) Academy attendees enrolled at a community college shall receive continued eligibility for two (2) additional academic years or four (4) additional academic semesters at an undergraduate institution; and

(2) Obtainment of a teaching license issued by the State Board of Education, including without limitation the actual cost of one (1) exam required by the state board.

(b)(1) A scholarship shall be distributed to academy attendees in accordance with the division’s scholarship stacking policy under Arkansas Code § 6-80-105.

(2) In compliance with the division’s scholarship stacking policy, a student’s total financial aid package, which can include multiple scholarships, shall not exceed the recognized cost of attendance at a state-supported institution of higher education.

(c) Each academy attendee enrolled in an Arkansas Teacher Academy shall:

(1)(A) Agree to teach at least one (1) full school year in Arkansas at a public school, or a school that serves primarily public school students with disabilities, for each academic year the academy attendee successfully completes and receives a scholarship for all or part of his or her tuition and fees.

(B) For an academy attendee who teaches and receives the scholarship concurrently, the academy attendee’s commitment period to teach in an Arkansas public school shall begin after graduation from an Arkansas Teacher Academy;

(2) Reimburse the Division of Higher Education:

(A) For the total amount of scholarship funds received for tuition and fees for an academic year the academy attendee does not successfully complete the academic year in good academic standing; and

(B) Proportional to the amount of the scholarship funds received by the academy attendee that corresponds to the number of school years the academy attendee agreed to teach, but did not teach; and

(3) Not include time enrolled in a summer term when calculating his or her commitment period required for teaching in an Arkansas public school.

(d) Academy attendees must apply for the Arkansas Teacher Academy scholarship during the open application period via the division's Scholarship Application Management System portal.

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-87 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-82-2207

6 CAR § 406-105 Scholarship distribution duties — Reporting requirements {#sec-6-car-406-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-406--6 CAR § 406-105}

6 CAR § 406-105. Scholarship distribution duties — Reporting requirements.

(a) On or before March 1 each year, the Division of Higher Education shall report to the Joint Budget Committee, or if the General Assembly is not in session, the Legislative Council and the Governor’s office, the following information:

(1) The total number of academy attendees enrolled in each eligible postsecondary institution’s Arkansas Teacher Academy in the current academic year; and

(2) The total number of Arkansas Teacher Academy graduates receiving induction services in the current academic year.

(b) On or before September 1 each year, the division shall report to the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, with a copy submitted to the Secretary of State, the following information:

(1) The total number of academy attendees enrolled in each institution’s Arkansas Teacher Academy by year of college enrollment;

(2) The percentage of academy attendees who complete each year of an institution’s Arkansas Teacher Academy that plans to continue to the subsequent year, delineated by each teacher preparation program offered by each institution as part of the Arkansas Teacher Academy;

(3) The number of academy attendees who are currently teachers and who complete a program of study through an institution’s Arkansas Teacher Academy;

(4) The number of academy attendees who are currently teaching in an Arkansas public school as part of an agreement for receiving a scholarship pursuant to this part;

(5) The total number of Arkansas Teacher Academy graduates receiving induction services;

(6) The number of academy attendees who:

(A) Have defaulted on their obligations defined in this part; and

(B) Are in repayment agreements;

(7) The number of academy attendees who have deferred repayment agreements;

(8) The number of academy attendees who have completed repayment agreements;

(9) The methodology for distributing any moneys appropriated for Arkansas Teacher Academy scholarships and the amounts distributed to each institution; and

(10) The amount of any unused moneys in the fund from the previous fiscal year.

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-87 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-82-2207