Addressing State Teacher Shortages: The Promise of Apprenticeship Programs

This webinar featured a panel of policy leaders and faculty from teacher preparation programs who shared insights into building and sustaining high-quality registered teacher apprenticeship programs. These programs allow candidates to earn a salary and receive mentored on-the-job experience while working toward a teaching license. There has been a surge of interest in these programs in recent years as administrators and policymakers recognize their potential for helping to address the nation’s critical teacher shortages. With encouragement from the US Departments of Labor and Education, by the end of 2023, Registered Apprenticeships in teaching had been launched in 31 states and territories and apprenticeship programs were in development in several others.

This webinar featured findings from the recent LPI-Pathways Alliance brief, Tennessee’s Teacher Apprenticeship Program: Role of State Agencies. Panelists highlighted current progress from their own programs and states, while reflecting on the ongoing opportunities to further refine the work, particularly as states navigate the end of COVID relief funding.

Speakers:

• Lisa Barron, Associate Dean and Director of Teacher Education and Partnerships, Austin Peay State University
• Erin Crisp, Executive Director, Tennessee Grow Your Own
• Cindy Gutierrez, Clinical Teacher Education & Office of Partnerships Director, University of Colorado Denver
• Hanna Melnick, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute
• Maureen Tracey-Mooney, Senior Advisor, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, U.S. Department of Education
• Randi Wolfe, Ph.D., Executive Director, Early Care & Education Pathways to Success