Transferring your teaching license from Arkansas to Indiana
Both Arkansas and Indiana participate in the NASDTEC interstate agreement, which standardizes how states evaluate out-of-state teaching credentials. Educators relocating from Arkansas can generally expect a streamlined review process, though state-specific content exams or coursework may still be required.
See 1,690 open teaching jobs in Indiana →Your current credential (Arkansas)
- Issuing authority
- Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
- License type
- Standard License (5 years)
- Reciprocity policy
- Arkansas participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement. Reciprocity available for educators with valid out-of-state certificates.
Indiana certification
- Issuing authority
- Indiana Department of Education
- License you'll earn
- Practitioner License (2 years)
- Typical timeline
- 12 months traditional; T2T program typically takes 2 years while teaching
- Indiana reciprocity policy
- Indiana participates in the NASDTEC compact. Valid out-of-state licenses evaluated; content exams may be required. Educators with 2+ years of experience receive streamlined review.
Exams typically required in Indiana
Out-of-state applicants are usually asked to demonstrate content-area knowledge on Indiana's preferred exams, even when basic-skills testing is waived through reciprocity. Plan for one or more of the following:
- CORE Academic Skills Assessment (or qualifying SAT/ACT/GRE scores)Basic reading, writing, and mathematics
- Praxis Subject Assessments or Indiana CORE Content Area ExamsContent knowledge for your license area
Steps to transfer your license
- Verify your Arkansas credential is current. Indiana will request a verification of your active Standard License from Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
- Apply through Indiana Department of Education. The application packet typically includes official transcripts, prior teaching service verification, and a fingerprint-based background check.
- Sit for any Indiana-specific exams. Most states honor out-of-state content-area exams when scores meet their cutoff, but Indiana may require an additional jurisprudence or state-specific assessment.
- Apply to Indiana districts that match your endorsement. We're currently tracking 1,690 active openings — browse Indiana teaching jobs to start identifying districts.