Harding - Education - PreK Teacher Academy Grant

Cannon-Clary College of Education

Take Advantage of a Free Grant Opportunity

Currently Accepting Applications for the Fall 2022 Cohort

Harding University’s Cannon-Clary College of Education is fully approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to offer Early Childhood PreK Teacher Academy grants free of charge! This grant will cover the cost of tuition, books, fees, and one Praxis #5024 assessment fee reimbursement for accepted grant recipients.

This program features:

Licensure Assessment Ready sessions provided by DESE (Visit their site for more information)
Nine hours of coursework to complete Early Childhood PreK program needed for Arkansas licensure
100% online cohort model
Asynchronous graduate-level courses

This grant-funded, PreK Teacher Academy is for you if you:

Are a non-licensed employee wanting to earn a first-time license
Have a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education OR
- a bachelor's degree that includes at least 18 hours of Early Childhood Education coursework
Have a passing score on the Praxis Assessment Education of Young Children (5024) by the end of day August 12 or meet the alternate score and have an approved Alternate Assessment Plan (AAP)
Have past PreK teaching experience, will be employed in 2022-2023 in a setting serving three-, four-, and five-year-olds in Arkansas, and have a signed participation form from the district or program that is:
- Pre-kindergarten in a public school (Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), Head Start, or District Program)
- In an Education Service Cooperative, or
- An ABC pre-kindergarten in a non-public school setting (Arkansas Better Beginnings Level 3).

For PreK Academy questions, please call 501-279-5107 or email Dr. Leeann Howard at lhoward6@harding.edu.

Admissions Requirements

Application Completion Instructions

Complete the Online Initial Application
Download, complete and sign the PreK Academy Application Form.
Download and complete the Participation Form.
Email the completed and signed PreK Academy Application and Participation Form to prekacademy@harding.edu

Send all materials required for admission to prekacademy@harding.edu:

The three forms described directly above
One letter of reference
Official electronic transcript(s) of undergraduate and graduate work (Transcripts should be sent directly from the institution(s) of higher learning to Harding at prekacademy@harding.edu.)
Proof of a passing score on the Praxis Assessment Education of Young Children (5024) by the end of day on August 12 or proof of the alternate score with an approved Alternate Assessment Plan (AAP).

Important Praxis Assessment Information: In order to provide proof of a passing score on the Praxis Assessment 5024, applicants MUST take the assessment no later than July 23. If the assessment is taken July 4-23, score reports will become available after 5:00 pm on August 12. Scores should be sent to Harding University (Institutional Code 6267).

Licensure Assessment Ready sessions are provided in early June and early July by the Division of Elementary & Secondary Education to assist grant applicants. Candidates must register prior to attending one of the Ready sessions. More information and links to register can be found on the DESE website.

The deadline to apply for the fall cohort of the PreK Academy Grant is August 17, 2022.

2022 Course Schedule

This program uses a fully-online cohort model and includes asynchronous graduate-level courses.

Schedule for the Initial 2022 Cohort

SPEC 6300 – Literacy Strategies for the Beginning/Emergent Reader
Summer I Session: June 6 - July 1, 2022

SPEC 6510 – Curriculum and Guidance for the Young Child
Summer II Session: July 5 - 29, 2022

EDFD 5400 – Pre-K Academy Practicum
Fall Semester: August 22 - December 16, 2022

Schedule for the Fall Cohort

SPEC 6510 – Curriculum and Guidance for the Young Child
August 22 - October 14, 2022

SPEC 6300 – Literacy Strategies for the Beginning/Emergent Reader
October 17 - December 16, 2022

EDFD 5400 – Pre-K Academy Practicum
January 9 - May 5, 2023

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