005.16.07 Ark. Code R. § 005 - ADE 273: Rules Governing the Eligibility of Participating School Districts in the Traveling Teacher Program

1.00 Regulatory Authority

1.01 These rules shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Education (the Department) Rules Governing the Eligibility of Participating School Districts in the Traveling Teacher Program (Traveling Teacher Program).

1.02 These rules are enacted under the State Board of Education's (State Board) authority pursuant to Ark. Code. Ann. §§ 6-11-105, 6-17-402 and Act 1027 of 2007.

2.00 Purpose

2.01 The purpose of these rules is to assist school districts in providing appropriately licensed teachers to teach required courses in grades nine through twelve (9-12).

3.00 Definitions

For the purposes of these rules, the following terms shall mean:

3.01 "Department" means the Arkansas Department of Education.

3.02 "Host School District" is an Arkansas public school district with a student population of eight thousand (8,000) students or fewer and that desires to provide the services of the traveling teacher to a receiving school district.

3.03 "Receiving School District" is an Arkansas public school district with a student population of eight thousand (8,000) students or fewer, other than the host district, that desires to have traveling teacher services.

3.04 "State Board" means the Arkansas State Board of Education.

3.05 "Traveling teacher" is a teacher who is appropriately licensed by the Department and has been designated as a highly qualified teacher in the subject area for which he/she is offering instruction; is employed on a full-time equivalent basis by a host school district, and provides professional teaching services to a receiving school district for one (1) or more required courses.

3.06 "Traveling teacher yearly incentive bonus" is the bonus amount awarded to the traveling teacher in addition to the compensation provided in the teacher's annual teaching contract with the host school district. The bonus shall be in the amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for a semester traveling teacher agreement, or four thousand dollars ($4,000.00) for a full year traveling teacher agreement.

4.00 Selection Process and Requirements

4.01 The Department will prioritize the approval of traveling teacher agreements based on the following:

4.01.1 If the subject area for which traveling teacher services are sought by the receiving school district has been identified as a critical shortage area by the State Board;

4.01.2 If the subject area for which traveling teacher services are sought is one of the required 38 units pursuant to the Department Rules Governing the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts;

4.01.3 No traveling teacher agreements will be approved if the distance between the classroom site of the traveling teacher within the host school district and the proposed classroom site within the receiving school district is more than forty-five (45) miles; and

4.01.4 The number of traveling teachers to be approved will be limited to forty-five (45) per school year with no more than three (3) traveling teachers coming from host school districts within each education service cooperative. Nothing in this Rule shall prohibit a traveling teacher from a host school district to teach in a receiving school district which is in a different education service cooperative than the host school district.

4.02 A school district which wishes to receive or provide traveling teacher services shall complete the applicable application form attached to these Rules and submit the form to the education service cooperative of which it is a member. The forms are entitled "Application Form - Host School District" and "Application Form - Receiving School District" and are attached to these rules as "Appendix B" and "Appendix C" respectively. Both forms are incorporated as a part of these rules as if the text of the forms were fully set forth herein.

4.03 Education service cooperatives shall provide all assistance to potential host and receiving school districts necessary to assist the Department in the efficient operation of this Traveling Teacher Program. The education service cooperative shall complete the information listed on the application forms submitted to it and promptly submit the forms to the Department.

4.04 The Host and Receiving School Districts will enter into a written agreement on the following issues:

4.04.1 The hourly rate of reimbursement for the traveling teacher based on teacher's hourly rate of pay;

4.04.2 The travel reimbursement amount to be paid to the host district;

4.04.3 The length of the agreement (one school year or one semester);

4.04.4 The title and description of the course(s) to be taught at each school;

4.04.5 The number of courses to be taught each semester at each school;

4.04.6 The time and days of the week each course will be taught;

4.04.7 The exact location of the classroom where the course will be taught;

4.04.8 That the delivery method for each class must be 100% face-to-face; and

4.04.9 The amount of time necessary to safely travel to and from the two teaching locations.

4.05 The form of the "Traveling Teacher Agreement" (Agreement) which must be used is attached to these Rules as "Appendix A" and is incorporated as a part of these Rules as if the text of the Agreement was fully set out herein.

5.00 Payment of Fees and Bonuses

5.01 The Receiving School District shall reimburse the Host School District for the following:

5.01.1 The pro rata share of the traveling teacher's time teaching in the Receiving School District based on the hourly rate of the traveling teacher's contract with the Host School District.

5.02 The Department will reimburse the Host School District for the following expenses paid to the traveling teacher only if the Department has reviewed and approved the entire agreement:

5.02.1 The amount of the traveling teacher yearly incentive bonus;

5.02.2 The amount of travel reimbursement not to exceed the mileage rate as set by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration; and

5.02.3 The agreement terms are in compliance with the provisions of this rule and Act 1027 of 2007.

5.03 The Department shall make such reimbursement payments to host school districts under this Section only after receiving and approving such written documentation necessary to ensure that all prerequisites to such reimbursement have been completed.

6.00 General Policies and Procedures relating to the Traveling Teacher Program

6.01 At all times during the term of this Agreement, the traveling teacher is an employee of the Host School District and is subject only to the personnel policies and contractual obligations of the Host District.

6.02 The Department shall have all requisite authority to approve or deny the agreement based on the provisions of the laws, rules, availability of funding, and discretionary determination as to the best use of state resources and funding. This includes the ability to terminate the agreement after its approval should the Department determine there is a lack of availability of funding or that the agreement is not the best use of state resources and funding.

6.03 Only under specific circumstances approved by the Department would an agreement be approved allowing the traveling teacher to teach in more than two (2) schools per traveling teacher agreement.

7.00 Funding

7.01 The operation of this program is contingent upon sufficient funding being provided by the General Assembly to the Department to allow for the payment of the funds to local school districts as set forth in these Rules.

Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix C

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Notes

005.16.07 Ark. Code R. § 005

10/12/2007