(a) (1) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop a process for selecting the Arkansas Teacher of the Year.(2) This process shall work in conjunction with and in support of the process for selecting a National Teacher of the Year.
(1) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop a process for selecting the Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
(2) This process shall work in conjunction with and in support of the process for selecting a National Teacher of the Year.
(b) The process shall allow each Arkansas school district board of directors and each governing body of an open-enrollment public charter school to submit a single applicant for the Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
(c) An applicant shall be submitted to the division by a school district board of directors or governing body of an open-enrollment public charter school under subsection (b) of this section no later than April 1 of the year in which the Arkansas Teacher of the Year is selected.
(d) By submitting an application for Arkansas Teacher of the Year, a school district or governing body of an open-enrollment public charter school agrees that if its applicant is selected, the school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall place that teacher on paid administrative leave for the school year immediately following his or her selection, as provided in § 6-17-2504.
(e) While on paid administrative leave, the teacher shall:(1) Work in residence with the division to:(A) Create professional development programs for other teachers;(B) Provide educational technical assistance to students and teachers statewide;(C) Enhance the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program; and(D) Enhance the quality of elementary and secondary education in Arkansas; and(2) Represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
(1) Work in residence with the division to:(A) Create professional development programs for other teachers;(B) Provide educational technical assistance to students and teachers statewide;(C) Enhance the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program; and(D) Enhance the quality of elementary and secondary education in Arkansas; and
(A) Create professional development programs for other teachers;
(B) Provide educational technical assistance to students and teachers statewide;
(C) Enhance the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program; and
(D) Enhance the quality of elementary and secondary education in Arkansas; and
(2) Represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
(f) During the school year in which a school district's or an open- enrollment public charter school's Arkansas Teacher of the Year is on paid administrative leave, the division shall reimburse the school district or open-enrollment public charter school as provided in § 6-17-2505.