AR HB1893

Replaces "certification" with "licensure" terminology throughout Arkansas teacher licensing statutes and authorizes the State Board of Education to issue one-year nonrenewable provisional licenses to teachers trained and certified in other states.

Establishes reciprocity provisions allowing the state board to issue standard teaching licenses to applicants holding valid standard teaching licenses from states with reciprocity agreements, without imposing additional requirements beyond those specified.

Modifies nontraditional licensure program administration by transferring authority from the Department of Education to the State Board of Education and exempts applicants who completed Teach for America programs or hold master's degrees from certain academic eligibility requirements.

Creates a three-year provisional nontraditional license option requiring applicants to have a baccalaureate degree, three years of employment experience in their content area, a job offer, and passage of Praxis II Content Knowledge test, with mandatory 40-hour pedagogy training in the first year.

Amends guidance counselor licensure provisions to allow public school guidance counselors without teaching licenses to become eligible candidates for initial administrator licenses if they meet experience and education requirements, and adds "Master's degree" definition for Teacher Compensation Program purposes.