To become a math teacher in Arkansas, complete an approved traditional or alternative educator preparation program, pass Praxis Mathematics (5165) with a 143 for grades 7-12 or Praxis Middle School Mathematics (5164) with a 141 for grades 4-8, clear three background checks, and apply online. Your standard license lasts five years.
Arkansas licenses math teachers in two main bands, middle childhood (grades 4-8) and secondary (grades 7-12), and the band you choose decides which Praxis test you take. The Arkansas Department of Education’s Office of Educator Licensure issues every license, and you’ll teach to the 2023 Arkansas Mathematics Standards. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree, you can usually start teaching on a provisional license while you finish an alternative route. Here’s how to become a math teacher in Arkansas, in four steps. If you’re new to licensing in general, start with how math teacher certification works across states.
- Complete a Traditional or Alternative Math Educator Preparation Program
- Pass the Praxis Math Exams Arkansas Requires
- Clear Background Checks and Apply for Your Arkansas Teaching License
- Renew and Maintain Your Standard Arkansas Teaching License
Step 1. Complete a Traditional or Alternative Math Educator Preparation Program
Every route ends with the same standard license. Where you start depends on one question: do you already have a bachelor’s degree? Before you enroll anywhere, check that the program appears on DESE’s Pathways to Licensure page. A program that isn’t approved won’t lead to an Arkansas license.
Traditional Educator Preparation Program
If you don’t have a degree yet, earn a bachelor’s in math education through an approved educator preparation program (EPP), the state’s term for a university teacher prep program. As of October 2026, DESE lists 15 approved bachelor’s programs in secondary mathematics (7-12) and 12 in middle childhood mathematics (4-8). Your program includes field experience and student teaching, and it recommends you for licensure when you finish.
Alternative Routes If You Already Have a Bachelor’s Degree
DESE calls these alternative pathways to licensure. Most of them let you work as the teacher of record, meaning the teacher responsible for the class, on a provisional license while you finish. These are the state’s own routes for math:
| Route | Who It Fits | Before You Start Teaching | Length and Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Professional Educator Pathway (ArPEP) | Bachelor’s degree in any field | Pass the Praxis subject test, clear background checks, get hired as a teacher of record | 2 years, $2,250 per year (2026 tuition for new participants) |
| MAT, MEd or MTLL alternative program | Bachelor’s degree, and you want a master’s | Admission to an approved university program | Set by each university |
| Provisional Professional Teaching License (PPTL) | Bachelor’s degree, 3 years of work experience in math, and an Arkansas teaching job offer | Pass the Praxis subject test, clear background checks, submit a statement of justification and two professional recommendation letters | 3-year provisional license |
ArPEP (formerly called APPEL) is run by DESE itself. You’ll attend two weeks of face-to-face training each summer and monthly sessions during the year. DESE lists 2026 tuition as $2,250 per year for new participants, and second-year candidates receive their tuition details from DESE directly. Applications have opened in March in recent cycles, so check DESE’s ArPEP page for the current dates. Finish the two years and you receive a standard license.
The Provisional Professional Teaching License is built for career changers with math-heavy work histories, such as engineers or analysts. You need an offer to teach in an Arkansas school before you apply. Your former employer verifies three years of math-related work, and you submit a statement explaining how that experience fits the subject. You’ll then complete 12 hours of pedagogy training in each of the three years, on top of your district’s regular professional development. Miss the first year’s hours and DESE rescinds the license.
Conversion to a standard license isn’t automatic. After your third year of teaching, you’ll need a passing Principles of Learning and Teaching score or one of DESE’s approved pedagogy micro-credentials, a recommendation from your superintendent, and a new application with the license fee.
DESE’s pathways page also lists online alternative programs and national programs such as Teach For America, each with its own eligibility rules and cost.
Step 2. Pass the Praxis Math Exams Arkansas Requires
Your content test depends on your grade band. These are DESE’s current requirements, as of October 2026:
- Mathematics (7-12): Praxis Mathematics (5165), passing score 143
- Middle Childhood Mathematics (4-8): Praxis Middle School Mathematics (5164), passing score 141
- Grade 5/6 math endorsement for secondary teachers: Praxis Mathematics (5165), passing score 143
- Physics/Mathematics (7-12): Praxis Physics (5266) at 133 and Praxis Mathematics (5165) at 143
DESE’s Licensure Assessments table also sets scores for the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exams: Grades 5-9 (5623) at 160 and Grades 7-12 (5624) at 157. Your EPP will tell you which PLT to take. DESE’s September 2023 cut score update lists the older Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5161) and Middle School Mathematics (5169) tests as accepted until September 1, 2027. If your scores come from an older test, confirm with the Office of Educator Licensure before you apply.
Praxis Core doesn’t appear on DESE’s licensure assessment table, though your EPP can still set its own admission tests. If you plan to teach math inside a K-6 elementary license, you take the Elementary Education Fundamentals tests instead (the math subtest, 8003, needs a 136) plus the NES Foundations of Reading (NT890) at 233.
Register through the ETS Arkansas test requirements page. Each test’s current fee is listed on its ETS registration page. DESE identifies edTPA as a possible substitute for a Praxis content test in qualifying circumstances, so ask a DESE licensure advisor whether it applies to you.
Step 3. Clear Background Checks and Apply for Your Arkansas Teaching License
You apply online through the Arkansas Educator Licensure System (AELS). DESE no longer posts a printable application. Paper copies are available only by request from the Office of Educator Licensure. Before you submit, you’ll need:
- Cleared Arkansas State Police, FBI fingerprint and Child Maltreatment Central Registry background checks
- Your official transcript and passing Praxis scores
- The required professional development modules for initial licensure, usually completed through Arkansas IDEAS
- Science of reading coursework at the awareness level, which your preparation program includes for math licensure areas
- The $75 license fee, paid online
The $75 isn’t your whole cost. Background checks are paid separately, including an $11 online payment for the Child Maltreatment Registry check, and Praxis fees go to ETS.
Which license you get first depends on your route. Traditional program completers apply directly for the standard five-year license. Alternative route candidates start on a provisional license (two years for ArPEP, three for the PPTL) and convert to a standard license when they finish. See DESE’s How to Obtain a License page for the application steps.
One rule changed recently. Act 304 of 2025 replaced district licensure waivers and emergency teaching permits with the Teacher Licensure Plan (TLP). You’ll generally need one if you teach in a public or charter school without a current license, or if you’re licensed but teaching outside your content area. To qualify, you need a bachelor’s degree, background checks cleared within the last year and, for math, an Arkansas Qualified Teacher form. DESE approves each plan annually, for up to three years. Some cases are exempt, including long-term substitutes and charter schools with an active charter contract. See memo LIC-25-011 for the details, and send questions to the Office of Educator Licensure at 501-682-4342.
Step 4. Renew and Maintain Your Standard Arkansas Teaching License
Your standard license runs from January 1 of the year it’s issued to December 31 of its fifth year. You can start renewing at any point during that fifth year, online through AELS.
To renew your license, you’ll need:
- 36 hours of professional development each year
- New Arkansas State Police, FBI and Child Maltreatment Central Registry background checks
- An awareness credential in scientific reading instruction (required for licenses expiring December 31, 2023 and later)
- The $75 renewal fee, paid with your application unless your district pays it
If you’ve taught in an Arkansas public school for all five years, your professional development should show up in AELS on its own after July 1 of your expiring year. If you didn’t teach all five years, upload your certificates or your Arkansas IDEAS Record of Learning instead, and if you’re short on hours, mark that on the application. Math-specific sessions are available through these associations. Check that a session is DESE-approved before you count it toward your 36 hours:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I teach math in Arkansas without an education degree?
Yes. With a bachelor’s degree in any field, you can enter through ArPEP once you pass Praxis Mathematics (5165) and land a teaching job. With three years of math-related work experience and an Arkansas teaching job offer, the Provisional Professional Teaching License is another option. Both let you teach on a provisional license while you finish.
What Praxis score do I need to teach math in Arkansas?
You need a 143 on Praxis Mathematics (5165) for grades 7-12, or a 141 on Praxis Middle School Mathematics (5164) for grades 4-8. These are DESE’s scores as of October 2026. Check the Licensure Assessments page before you test, since cut scores can change.
How long does it take to become a math teacher in Arkansas?
A traditional bachelor’s program in math education usually takes four years. If you already have a degree, ArPEP takes two years and the PPTL takes three, but you’re teaching and earning a salary during both. See what to expect in our Arkansas math teacher salary guide.
Can I transfer a math teaching license from another state to Arkansas?
You can apply for licensure by reciprocity through AELS. DESE evaluates the type of license you hold, so it may ask for additional steps. Call the Office of Educator Licensure at 501-682-4342 before you apply. If you’re also weighing a job across the border, compare Louisiana’s math teacher certification requirements and the steps to teach math in Mississippi.
How much does it cost to get a math teaching license in Arkansas?
DESE charges $75 for the standard license and $75 for each renewal. You’ll also pay ETS for each Praxis test and pay separately for background checks, including $11 for the Child Maltreatment Registry check. If you take ArPEP, add tuition of $2,250 per year (2026 rate for new participants).
- Two math bands: Arkansas licenses math teachers for middle childhood (4-8) and secondary (7-12), and your band sets your Praxis test.
- Current tests: Praxis Mathematics (5165) needs a 143, and Praxis Middle School Mathematics (5164) needs a 141.
- Degree holders can start teaching sooner: ArPEP and the Provisional Professional Teaching License let you teach on a provisional license while you finish.
- Renewal every five years: You’ll need 36 hours of professional development each year, new background checks, and a $75 fee.
Arkansas lets degree holders teach while they finish an alternative route, so your bigger decision is which program fits your schedule and grade band. Compare the schools listed here by format and cost, then confirm your pick on DESE’s approved program list.