8.01 All approved professional development shall be aligned to the Standard developed by the State Board of Education. 8.02 Approved professional development activities shall relate to the following Focus Areas: 8.02.1 Content (K-12); 8.02.2 Instructional strategies; 8.02.3 Assessment/data-driven decision making; 8.02.4 Advocacy/leadership/fiscal management; 8.02.5 Systemic change process; 8.02.6 Standard, frameworks, and curriculum alignment; 8.02.7 Supervision; 8.02.8 Mentoring/peer coaching; 8.02.9 Next generation learning/integrated technology; 8.02.10 Principles of learning/developmental stages/diverse learners; 8.02.11 Cognitive research; 8.02.12 Parent involvement/academic planning and scholarship; 8.02.13 Collaborative learning community; 8.02.14 Student health and wellness, which may include but is not limited to: 8.02.14.1 Antibullying policies; 8.02.14.2 Appropriate training for anticipated rescuers in the use of automated external defibrillator or cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and 8.02.15 The Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators. 8.03 Approved professional development takes on many forms and may be earned in the following ways: 8.03.1 Conferences/workshops/institutes 8.03.2 Mentoring/peer coaching; 8.03.3 Study groups/learning teams; 8.03.4 National Board for Professional Teaching Standard Certification; 8.03.5 Distance and online learning, to include ArkansasIDEAS; 8.03.6 Internships; 8.03.7 State/district/school programs; 8.03.8 College/university course work; 8.03.9 Action research; or 8.03.10 Individually-guided, as noted in an educator's individual professional development plan. 8.04 Requirements for ArkansasIDEAS include: 8.04.1 The ADE shall determine the content and approve all professional development delivered through the Arkansas On-line Professional Development Initiative that counts toward the annual professional development required under these Rules. 8.04.2 The ADE shall select courses/products, which are research-based and are available from sources, with expertise in technology delivered professional development courses. 8.04.3 Online professional development courses shall include online registration, assessment, course evaluation, and attendance and completion documents.

(a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall require two (2) hours of professional development in the following areas for licensed public school personnel according to the professional development schedule under § 6-17-709: (1) Bullying prevention; and (2) Recognition of the relationship between incidents of bullying and the risk of suicide.

(b)

• (1) A school counselor shall spend at least ninety percent (90%) of his or her working time during student contact days providing direct services and indirect services to students.
• (2) Direct and indirect services may be provided in collaboration with other school personnel and include without limitation: (F) Providing social and emotional skills designed to support students, including without limitation programs: (iv) To prevent bullying that include without limitation:
  • (a) Training programs for school employees regarding how to recognize bullying behaviors;
  • (b) Protocols for responding to bullying that is occurring in the school;
  • (c) Strategies that support a student who is being bullied; and
  • (d) Strategies that help a bystander speak out against bullying.

(g) A public school district shall provide training on compliance with the anti-bullying policies to all public school district employees responsible for reporting or investigating bullying under this section. (h) A public school employee who has reported violations under the public school district's policy shall be immune from any tort liability that may arise from the failure to remedy the reported incident of bullying. (i) The public school district board of directors may provide opportunities for school employees to participate in programs or other activities designed to develop the knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to acts covered by the public school district's policies.