The Arkansas Professional Educator Pathway (ArPEP), is an affordable two-year, work-based,  alternative certification program that is administered by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Enrollment in this program allows a candidate with a bachelor’s degree or higher to be licensed and employed as a classroom teacher while completing the necessary requirements for a Standard Arkansas Teaching License. ArPEP’s goal is to prepare day one-ready teachers to meet the growing demand of the teacher pipeline in Arkansas.  The primary objective of ArPEP is to train future educators on how to:

• build classroom communities

• design effective lesson plans

• implement evidence-based instructional strategies, and

• use assessments to facilitate student learning

Participants work as a teacher of record under a Provisional Arkansas teaching license for two years. Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive a Standard Arkansas teaching license. 

Please review the following information regarding admission requirements: 

• Instructions for the 2023 ArPEP Summer Application

• 2023 ArPEP Application  

Act 1063 of 2017, the Right to Read Act, states: “Beginning no later than the 2022-2023 school year, each state-approved educator preparation program shall post on its website information describing its program to prepare teachers to teach reading using scientific reading instruction aligned with but not limited to the content measured by the stand-alone reading assessment adopted by the State Board of Education under § 6-17-402.”

Candidates enrolled in Elementary Education K-6 and Special Education K-12 programs must complete coursework and pass the Foundations of Reading test to be considered proficient in scientific reading instruction to obtain a license. Candidates enrolled in all other licensure area programs must complete the coursework to be considered awareness level in scientific reading instruction to obtain a license. 

In 2019, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education approved Arkansas Professional Educator Pathway (formerly Arkansas Professional Pathway to Educator Licensure) to meet this requirement. The pathways are aligned to the appropriate Foundations of Reading Competencies – Proficiency Level or Foundations of Reading Competencies – Awareness Level. DESE – Approved Course/Modules lists approved courses/modules for all approved licensure programs in Arkansas.

If you have questions or are interested in the ArPEP program please fill out the following survey: ArPEP Interest Survey.