Registered Teacher Apprenticeship 

The Registered Teacher Apprenticeship is a four-year competency-based apprenticeship.  If a newly hired apprentice has no classroom experience and no college credit, it will probably take them four years to complete the program.  If the apprentice has prior experience and college credit the apprenticeship could take less time.  Here is a matrix of the apprentice’s potential role in the district based on their classroom and college experience Apprentice Role Matrix.

Districts build an on-the-job training plan for their apprentices based on their teacher training rubric, so that each apprentice can learn, practice, and become proficient with all competencies required to be a teacher.  Districts will evaluate and observe the apprentice at least once a semester [link to sample evaluation/observation tool] [link to assurance statement] to ensure the apprentice is making progress in their on-the-job learning and bachelor's degree.

Districts must have a progressive wage scale that meets a minimum starting pay of $14 an hour. (Districts are always free to increase that minimum based on their own wage scale.)

Apprentices must be assigned a mentor teacher to help guide them through their apprenticeship. The mentor teacher should hold a professional license. The mentor teacher will receive $1,500 a year (through Summer 2026) for serving in this role.

Apprentices will receive tuition assistance yearly, depending on funding allotment. Any money not used for tuition can be used to pay for books and supplies. The tuition money will be granted to the district, and the district will coordinate with the university/community college to distribute the tuition money.