§ 6-17-409 - Nontraditional licensure certification. - Arkansas Statutes

6-17-409. Nontraditional licensure certification.

(a) The Department of Education may offer and operate a nontraditional licensure program.

(b) The department is hereby authorized to provide grants of financial assistance to entities that train individuals seeking to obtain nontraditional licensure certification through the nontraditional certification process administered by the department. The department shall pay the grants from funds appropriated by the General Assembly to the department for such purpose.

(c) The department is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to determine eligibility for and amount of awards of the grants concerning the operation of the nontraditional licensure program authorized by this section and for such other purposes as may be necessary in carrying out the intent of this section.

(d) If the department requires an applicant for nontraditional licensure certification to complete one (1) or more additional college-level courses and the applicant has obtained a bachelor's degree, the required course or courses shall meet one (1) or more of the following conditions:

(1) (A) Each course shall be offered at every state-supported, two-year institution of higher education.

(B) If more than one (1) course is required, all courses shall be offered in a one-semester block; or

(2) Each course shall be available as an online course, a traditional face-to-face course, or a hybrid course that is part online instruction and part face-to-face instruction, as approved by the department.