ADE Summit 2026

As the educator landscape evolves, staying informed on certification requirements is essential for maintaining a stable and qualified workforce. This session provides a comprehensive look at recent licensure updates and the diverse pathways available for educators to achieve full certification.
We will analyze current unlicensed teacher data to identify critical gaps and introduce a strategic framework focused on preservice teacher completion. Attendees will explore specific progress points from initial entry and testing milestones to clinical experiences, including the year-long residency,designed to ensure candidates move successfully through the pipeline. Whether you are a district leader or a preparation provider, you will leave with actionable strategies to support educators in reaching full licensure.

This session will explore the power of observation and walkthrough tools in providing actionable feedback to promote system coherence and instructional alignment. Participants will discuss how to effectively utilize the Key Levers for Instructional Leaders Tool and the TESS Framework to support school leaders in delivering high-quality, targeted feedback. Through interactive activities and real-world examples, attendees will gain practical strategies for using these tools to drive continuous improvement and strengthen instructional practices across their schools.

This session will discuss Code of Ethics training and coursework as a part of educator preparation as well as other ways to prepare educators for success by preventing ethics complaints. Additionally, Capri Bell-Salaam, the 2023 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, will present her research regarding the role educator preparation programs play in prevention.

Join principals leading high growth schools for a panel discussion of the strategies behind their success. Facilitation will review school-wide discipline, instructional practices, and student attendance plus a question and answer segment with the audience.

In this session, you will explore the Arkansas Teacher Registered Apprenticeship, an innovative, evidence-based approach to educator development aimed at tackling teacher shortages across the state. This program offers a work-based learning opportunity, where approved apprentices receive high-quality instruction through accredited educator programs while simultaneously working within a participating school district. Designed to foster educational excellence in K-12 schools statewide, the apprenticeship ensures teachers acquire valuable on-the-job experience and become fully integrated into their school’s culture, equipping them to be classroom-ready from day one.

In this session, PLSB managing attorney, Whitney James, and PLSB Chief Investigator, Laura Shelton, will provide updated data from the Professional Licensure Standards Board, review processes, specifically for submitting allegations and 24-Hour Standard 1 forms, and discuss how these processes can prevent future violations of the Code of Ethics.

How we lead adult learning often mirrors what happens in classrooms. This session invites participants to examine the connection between engaging meetings and engaging instruction. Using facilitation strategies grounded in collaboration and inquiry, participants will explore how to design learning experiences that foster ownership, reflection, and active participation—for both educators and students. Leave with practical tools and a renewed lens for leading learning in any setting.

Three Arkansas teachers who achieved high student growth scores will share the strategies that drive their success. All three teachers received merit pay for the 2024-25 school year and were selected as Arkansas Excellence in Teaching fellows for the 2025-26 school year.