School districts across Arkansas have struggled with teacher shortages for years, but a policy tied to the state’s LEARNS Act that will take full effect in 2027 may help strengthen the pipeline of future educators.
According to Deltaplex News content partner KATV, an executive order accompanying the LEARNS Act directed the Arkansas Department of Education to ensure prospective teachers complete a one-year residency in a classroom setting before entering the profession.
ADE Secretary Jacob Oliva told KATV the requirement will give aspiring teachers more hands-on experience in the classroom as part of their training, rather than limiting their preparation to observation alone.
Beginning in spring 2027, all new teachers in Arkansas will be required to complete the one-year residency, which pairs teacher candidates with experienced, highly rated mentors while they take on active classroom responsibilities.
More than 20 educator preparation programs across the state have already begun implementing the residency model. The Pine Bluff School District is among the districts participating in the program through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Teacher residents in the district are classified as paraprofessionals and are paid while completing their residency year.
Monica McMurray, the district’s director of recruitment and retention, told KATV that Pine Bluff has hosted 14 teacher residents so far and has already hired one into a full-time position.
Education leaders hope the program will help address ongoing staffing challenges faced by many Arkansas districts, including Pine Bluff, where recruiting and retaining certified teachers has been difficult. The shortage has led some districts to rely on unlicensed educators to fill vacancies.
Officials say the new residency requirement is expected to improve teacher readiness and retention while ultimately benefiting student outcomes.
Since the executive order was issued in 2023, most major universities in Arkansas have begun offering one-year residency programs for student teachers.
