(a) To renew an educator license, a teacher shall participate in continuing education and professional development:

1. (1) Based on the teacher's evaluation and professional growth plan under TESS;
2. (2) As required under Arkansas Code § 6-17-701 et seq.;
3. (3) As part of a basic contract under Arkansas Code § 6-17-2402; and
4. (4) As required by this part.

(b) To renew an expired educator license, the educator shall complete professional development:

1. (1) Required for licensure under the professional development schedule in Arkansas Code § 6-17-709;
2. (2) On the educator code of ethics, under Arkansas Code § 6-17-428; and
3. (3) Required for the educator to obtain credentials for proficiency or awareness of the science of reading, as applicable under the Right to Read Act, Arkansas Code § 6-17-429, if those credentials are not already documented in the Arkansas Educator Licensure System.

(e) Any educator who misses any part of regularly scheduled professional development activities for any reason must make up that time in other approved professional development activities so that the hours of professional development required annually are earned during the approved time frame required under subsection (b) of this section, except as provided below:

1. (1) If the educator is absent because of illness of the educator or the educator’s immediate family, the educator shall be allowed to make up the hours missed during the remainder of the current school year or succeeding school year; and

2. (2) An educator shall complete any missed hours of professional development through professional development that is:

   1. (A) Substantially similar to the professional development missed and approved by the person responsible for the educator’s summative evaluation; and
   2. (B) Delivered by any method that is approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education under this part.

(g)

1. (1) Five (5) hours of credit for professional development shall be given for every one (1) hour of college credit for a graduate-level course.

2. (2) Professional development obtained under this subsection may be allocated as follows:

   1. (A) Up to fifteen (15) hours may be credited to the professional development requirements for licensure; and
   2. (B) Hours obtained in excess of fifteen (15) may be credited to any remaining requirements for professional development generally, if approved by the school district in a professional development plan.

(h) The allocation of professional development credit obtained under subsection (g) of this section shall be approved by the:

1. (1) Public school district or open-enrollment public charter school employing the teacher; or
2. (2) Division, if the educator is not employed by a public school district or open-enrollment public charter school.

(i)

1. (1) An educator may earn up to twelve (12) hours of professional development credit approved by the school or school district, which may be applied toward the professional development requirement for the time period at the beginning of each school year that is used to plan and prepare curriculum or develop other instructional material.

2. (2) Educators shall be entitled to one (1) hour of professional development credit for each hour of approved preparation under this section, provided the educator spends the time:

   1. (A) In his or her instructional classroom, office, or media center at the public school;
   2. (B) Prior to the first student-teacher interaction day of the school year; and
   3. (C) In the focus areas listed in 6 CAR § 183-108(b).