1. (a) Application criteria.

   1. (1) An applicant shall complete the official application process established by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

   2. (2) An applicant:

      1. (A) Shall not have received prior state funding for NBPTS candidacy; and
      2. (B) Must be applying for initial candidacy.
   3. (3) An applicant shall verify at least three (3) years teaching experience in an Arkansas public school beginning no earlier than the year in which the applicant’s first license to teach in an Arkansas public school is issued.

2. (b) Selection process.

   1. (1) A candidate shall meet or exceed the minimum qualifying score for the application process approved by the State Board of Education.

   2. (2) NBPTS advisory committee will:

      1. (A) Review applications if full funding is not available; and
      2. (B) Recommend to the division the candidates to be funded.
   3. (3) A candidate selected to receive state funding must submit all NBPTS components within the first-year candidacy cycle.

3. (c) Payment of component costs for NBPTS candidacy. The division shall pay the following costs associated with NBPTS candidacy for candidates selected for participation under this part:

   1. (1) The cost of submission for the four (4) components, excluding the:

      1. (A) Application fee assessed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards;
      2. (B) Retake fees; and
      3. (C) Renewal fees; and
   2. (2) Substitute teacher pay for up to three (3) days of approved paid leave.

4. (d)

   1. (1) A candidate who pays for the cost of one (1) component may apply to the division for reimbursement of that cost and for state support of the remaining certification components if the division receives the application within fourteen (14) days after the release of scores from NBPTS.

   2. (2) The advisory committee shall:

      1. (A) Recommend a minimum qualifying score;
      2. (B) Review the applications; and
      3. (C) Make a recommendation to the state board for funding.
   3. (3) A candidate selected to receive reimbursement and state funding for remaining components must submit all remaining NBPTS components within the second-year candidacy cycle.

5. (e) Repayment of funding.

   1. (1) Repayment of state funds for the NBPTS is required if a recipient:

      1. (A) Does not complete the certification process within three (3) years after the NBPTS enters the candidate into its certification program; or
      2. (B) Becomes an NBCT with the support of state funds, but for the three-year period following certification that includes the year of certification and the two (2) years immediately following certification does not teach in an Arkansas public school classroom or does not serve as a building-level administrator, a building-level assistant, an instructional facilitator, or an instructional leader, as applicable.

   2. (2) A candidate required to repay funds under this subsection may seek a waiver of repayment from the state board if the candidate was forced to withdraw from candidacy due to:

      1. (A) The death or disability of the teacher; or
      2. (B) Other serious extenuating circumstances recommended by the advisory committee, including without limitation health-related problems verified by a licensed physician.

6. (f)

   1. (1) The state board may suspend a recipient’s teaching license for failure to repay state funds provided under this part.
   2. (2) The teaching license may be reinstated upon full payment as provided in the division’s Rules Governing Educator Licensure, 6 CAR pt. 180.

Codification Notes: "NBPTS" means the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.