Transforming Preparation: Teacher Apprenticeships at the Intersection of Equity, Policy, and Practice

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

Across the nation, traditional teacher preparation programs are experiencing a steady decline in enrollment (Saenz-Armstrong, 2023; Kraft & Lyon, 2024), creating a critical shortage in the educator workforce. At the same time, many potential educators—especially first-generation college students, paraprofessionals, and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds—face barriers such as cost, access, and inflexible program models (Garcia et al., 2023;  Fletcher, 2022). In response, teacher apprenticeships have emerged as a promising, bipartisan workforce strategy that blends academic learning with on-the-job  training, providing a paid, sustainable path into the profession (Fiddiman et al., 2019; Carver-Thomas et al., 2024).
This roundtable will explore teacher apprenticeships as a transformative model of educator preparation that meets both equity and workforce needs. The session brings together a panel of experts from state policy, higher education, workforce systems, and the K–12 classroom. Together, they will examine how Registered  Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) are being designed and scaled to expand access, diversify the educator pipeline, and address longstanding labor shortages.  Key discussion areas include:

• Cross-sector policy coordination between workforce agencies, preparation programs, and K–12 district


• Technology-enabled data infrastructure for tracking competencies and supporting licensure


• Integration of federal and state funding streams (e.g., WIOA, ESEA) to support program sustainability


• Lived experiences of teacher apprentices navigating these new pathways

Participants will leave with clear takeaways on how to implement, fund, and sustain apprenticeship-based preparation models that reflect the needs of today’s educators and learners and ADVANCE a more inclusive, resilient education workforce.

Policy Area

• Employment and Training Programs

Secondary Policy Area

• Education

Moderator

• Teryn Bryant, Craft Education

Organizer

• Kimberly Eckert, Walden University

Speakers

• Kimberly Eckert, Walden University

• Patricia A Saenz-Armstrong, Craft @ WGU

• Janae Montgomery, R.K. Smith Middle School

• Becky Slothower, Oklahoma Public School Resource Center