In January 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor approved Tennessee to offer the first federally registered teacher apprenticeship program in the nation. A version of Grow Your Own teacher programs, Tennessee’s model creates partnerships between school districts and educator preparation programs, allowing high school graduates to obtain a bachelor’s degree and teaching certification at no cost. Teacher apprentices earn a living wage from sustainable federal and workforce funds as they progress through the program.
Today, nearly 18 months later, the program is off to a good start. Let’s check in to see how the Volunteer State is doing with this innovative model.
Tennessee has nine Educator Preparation Providers offering apprenticeships via 19 different educator pathways toward a degree or certification. This is a significantly large offering, with program options to accommodate a diverse range of eligible candidates across rural, urban and suburban districts.
The state launched its customized Grow Your Own Center, a $20 million investment to support statewide implementation of educator pipeline initiatives. The first of its kind in the nation, the center—along with the Tennessee Department of Education—will fund up to 600 teacher apprentices annually at no cost to the candidates. This spring, the center launched its first cohort of 200+ apprentices.
Through the Grow Your Own Center, Tennessee is also the first state to support a full suite of credential offerings, including master’s and bachelor’s degrees, certifications and apprenticeship programs designed for teachers. These meet acute district needs and address labor market competition, all while driving innovative programmatic offerings.
Tennessee has leveraged federal, state and local education and workforce dollars to ensure the Department of Education is well-positioned to ensure registered teacher apprenticeships are available statewide, adding up to 600 new teachers annually. In March, the program partnered with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development to gain financial commitments and programmatic resources that support the longevity and scale of the apprenticeship programs.
The program funded grants for Educator Preparation Providers to continue offering no-cost endorsements to current teachers so they can fill critical vacancies in the state, e.g., secondary math, English as a second language (ESL) and special education. A total of 13 programs, with capacity for 2,900 candidates, were offered during the 2021-22 school year.
Tennessee has connected with other state education agencies, governor’s offices, national research groups, nonprofits, foundations, advocacy teams and higher-education organizations spanning 40+ states. The Volunteer State readily shares its strategies, best practices and innovative teacher apprenticeship model to help others implement teacher pipeline programs. The state also co-leads a national monthly working group supporting 30+ states in their development, implementation and strategy for registered teacher apprenticeship programs.
Is your state ready to launch its own Grow Your Own program? Learn more about this innovative apprenticeship model through the resources below:
In this webinar, session speakers reflect on what this new teaching pathway means for state education systems and a post-pandemic economy, how to create similar apprenticeship programs in your state and how federal approval could help.
This playbook is a practical guide to support stakeholders’ development and launch of a Grow Your Own Teacher Apprenticeship program. It helps policymakers and education leaders generate well-trained, community-representative teachers to address critical teaching shortage areas in their locale.
