New National Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Network to Launch

Seven Innovative States are Founding Members with More to Join

New York, NY – Today, the National Center for Grow Your Own (NCGYO) announces the launch of the National Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Network.

This network consists of states from around the country innovating with registered apprenticeships in teaching to address educator shortages.

The network will meet to discuss the design and implementation of registered apprenticeships in teaching, inform policy and practice on the national stage and provide feedback to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The founding states and agencies of this network include (in alphabetical order): California Department of Industrial Relations: Apprenticeship and Workforce Innovation Unit, Florida Department of Education, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Texas Education Agency, West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, WorkForce West Virginia and Wyoming Department of Education.

“This partnership reflects the support behind our efforts to address the teacher shortage in West Virginia because this is not just an education issue, it affects all aspects of our state,” said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools W. Clayton Burch. “This network will strengthen our teacher preparation efforts in real-time because we feel the sense of urgency to get more highly qualified teachers into the classroom.”

“Teacher shortage is a pervasive problem that is affecting all states nationwide, including North Dakota.  The ND Department of Public Instruction is honored to participate in the National Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Network,” said Assistant State Superintendent of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Laurie Matzke.  “This work will be critical in establishing an additional pathway for aspiring individuals to enter the field of education.”

Missouri, like other states, is struggling to address staffing issues created by teacher shortages. The Teacher Apprenticeship is an additional, innovative model to help address this issue,” said Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Educator Quality of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Paul Katnik. “We welcome the opportunity to work with NCGYO and other states in the National Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Network to design and implement a model that will result in an increase of better prepared new teachers.

As in many other states, Wyoming is vigorously working to recruit and retain highly skilled teachers. Our apprenticeship initiative is a central element in these efforts, said State Director of Digital Learning and Innovation of the Wyoming Department of Education, Laurel Ballard. “Urgency requires that we move quickly, and being able to network with other states on a similar path is invaluable. We are grateful for the opportunity to share and learn together.

“This network was established to ensure the implementers of this work across the country could exchange innovative ideas amongst each other while also ensuring their voices are heard at the national level,” said NCGYO Founder David Donaldson. “I am inspired by these states and their leadership in addressing educator shortages. I am excited to see registered apprenticeships in teaching spread across the country as one potential solution to ensuring every student has not only the teacher they need, but deserve.”

In addition to each state learning from each other, the network will also have guest speakers from national partners in this work including the U.S. Department of Labor, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) and New America.

If you are a state interested in joining this network or a state, school district or educator preparation provider in need of technical assistance to launch a registered apprenticeship in teaching, please contact: info@ncgyo.org and visit www.ncgyo.org.

About NCGYO:

The National Center for Grow Your Own (NCGYO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides technical assistance to states, local education agencies (school districts) and educator preparation providers that are interested in launching Grow Your Own (GYO) programs and registered apprenticeships in teaching. Founded by David Donaldson, former Chief of Human Capital of the Tennessee Department of Education, he led the creation of Tennessee’s state-wide Grow Your Own program and led the successful application process to have the occupation of a K-12 teacher approved for registered apprenticeship by the U.S. Department of Labor. His work in Tennessee was recognized by The White House, U.S Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor.