The University of Arkansas is reviewing nearly 100 early-decision applications from people interested in becoming Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows.

The new teacher-preparation program designed to help Arkansas school districts in high-need areas fill open teaching positions set an early decision deadline of Jan. 18. The program aims to provide an accelerated path to teaching for talented people with the overall goal of having a lasting impact on students and communities in Arkansas.

Applications are still being accepted on a rolling basis until March 15. The application is available online at the program website.

Applicants are required to have a bachelor’s degree in any major and demonstrate academic success and service orientation, said Benton Brown, director of the program. Those who are awarded Arkansas Teacher Corps Fellowships will receive a $5,000 stipend per year in addition to their teaching salary from the school district that hires them.

“We are seeking high-achieving students with a particular desire to serve communities and students in the state of Arkansas,” said Gary Ritter, one of the faculty directors, adding that the goal of the program is to have 100 fellows teaching in the state by 2015.

About half of the applicants so far have personal experience in low-income communities, Brown said. Many have grade-point averages of 3.8 or higher and standardized test scores in the top 10 percent. They hold degrees from universities across the state of Arkansas as well as Ivy League and other top tier schools.

The development of the Arkansas Teacher Corps program was led by Tom Smith, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, along with Ritter, holder of the Twenty-First Century Chair in Education Policy, and Conra Gist, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction.

The program will address shortages in high-need districts based on both geographic and specific content area shortages. District officials noted the difficulty of finding enough qualified candidates to teach in content areas such as math and science as well as attracting qualified teachers to low socioeconomic areas of the state.