As used in the State Teacher Education Program:

1. (1) “Alternate educator preparation program” means a nontraditional licensure program resulting in a valid Arkansas teaching license;

2. (2) “Approved institution” means a state-supported institution of higher education, a nursing school, or a private nonprofit institution of higher education that:

   1. (A) Maintains its primary headquarters in the state;
   2. (B) Is eligible to receive Title IV federal student aid program funds; and
   3. (C) Is approved by the Division of Higher Education as eligible to participate in the State Teacher Education Program;

3. (3)

   1. (A) “Arkansas resident” means an applicant who has been an Arkansas resident for twelve (12) months prior to the application deadline for the financial aid program.

   2. (B) Further, the recipient may be asked to provide evidence of a permanent connection with the State of Arkansas, in which the Division of Higher Education will look to one (1) or more of the following to determine residency:

      1. (i) Valid Arkansas driver’s license;
      2. (ii) Proof of payment for Arkansas personal or real taxes for previous year;
      3. (iii) Proof of Arkansas vehicle registration;
      4. (iv) Proof of Arkansas voter registration; and
      5. (v) Other forms of proof of Arkansas residency;

4. (4) “Award year” means the year that:

   1. (A) Begins on July 1 of one (1) calendar year; and
   2. (B) Extends to June 30 of the next calendar year;

5. (5) “Eligible student” means a student who:

   1. (A) Meets the criteria set out in the State Teacher Education Program, Arkansas Code § 6-81-1601 et seq.; and
   2. (B) Is found to be eligible by rules promulgated by the Division of Higher Education;
6. (6) “Geographical areas of the state designated as having critical shortages of teachers” means any Arkansas school district designated by the Division of Higher Education as having critical teacher shortages;

7. (7)

   1. (A) “Lawful permanent resident” means an individual who can provide documentation from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service that he or she is in the United States for other than a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or permanent resident.
   2. (B) Valid documentation is an I-551, I-151, I-181, I-94, or passport stamped with the notation "Processed for I-551, Temporary Evidence of Lawful Admission for Permanent Residence".
   3. (C) A completed Form G-641 can also be used to document permanent resident status;

8. (8) "National" means citizens of:

   1. (A) American Samoa; or
   2. (B) Swain's Island;
9. (9) “Subject matter designated as critical needs in the State of Arkansas” means subject matter shortage areas certified annually by the Division of Higher Education based upon the results of surveys obtained from school districts in the State of Arkansas;
10. (10) “Teach on a full-time basis” means to teach the same number of hours required of teachers who have full-time contracts, as determined by the institution or agency in which an individual is teaching, for a minimum of one (1) academic term, as defined by the institution or agency in which an individual is teaching;
11. (11) “Teacher education program” means a program administered by the Division of Higher Education that provides loan repayments to a licensed teacher who teaches in a subject area or a geographic area with teacher shortage as determined by the Division of Higher Education in consultation with the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; and

12. (12) “United States citizen” means a person born in or who has become a naturalized citizen of:

    1. (A) The fifty (50) states;
    2. (B) The District of Columbia;
    3. (C) Puerto Rico;
    4. (D) The Virgin Islands;
    5. (E) Guam;
    6. (F) The Northern Mariana Islands; or
    7. (G) Trust Territory-Palau.

Codification Notes: The Immigration and Naturalization Service was abolished by 6 U.S.C. § 291.