D.C. is launching a teacher apprenticeship program that city leaders say will extend the teaching pipeline in some of the most high-demand subject areas.
The program will allow D.C. paraprofessionals and high school graduates to receive a free education while they’re working in a city school. Through a partnership with the University of the District of Columbia and the University of the District of Columbia Community College, aspiring teachers will get coursework to complement on-the-job training.
The D.C. Apprenticeship Council approved the initiative, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education announced in a news release.
“The program is designed to remove financial barriers to entering the teaching profession,” said Elizabeth Ross, the city’s assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. “The coursework is designed to be flexible so that it can fit within a day of a busy individual that’s otherwise doing on-the-job training.”
OSSE is expected to start enrolling candidates this fall. The first cohort will likely include up to 50 people, Ross said. Additional grant money could be used to increase the number of participants.
The program, Ross said, is designed to support candidates earning a bachelor’s degree. The cost of that degree is covered while the candidates earn salaries working in D.C. schools. They’ll take classes at night.
Participants who graduate from the program will be eligible for an OSSE educator credential in elementary education, special education or early childhood education.
According to Ross, data revealed that those are among the city’s highest-demand subject areas.
“We do have persistent areas where we hear from our (local education agencies) that they are excited for a deeper bench from which they can hire when they’re making hiring decisions,” Ross said.
The “earn and learn” model, Ross said, became popular after it was used in Tennessee, and “has been used to great effect across the country.”
“Research is crystal clear and shows us again and again that the most important in-school factor impacting student learning and lives is the quality of their teacher in the classroom,” Ross said.
Participants will commit to teaching in D.C. schools after graduating, Superintendent Christina Grant said.
“D.C. has the best teachers in the nation, and we continue to invest in our public schools to make sure our teachers have great compensation, great support, and clear ways to grow in their careers,” said Paul Kihn, the city’s deputy mayor for education. “This program will help put more residents on a path to this unparalleled profession, as well as diversify the teacher workforce.”
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