First-of-Its-Kind Teaching Apprenticeship Launches in Texas

The very first paid educator residency apprenticeships will be offered in Texas by Dallas College as part of a new initiative focused on building a consistent pipeline of skilled and well-trained educators in the state. This paid apprenticeship model gives participants an opportunity to receive real-world work experience while also earning a salary with a partner organization that can count towards earning a degree or credential.

Due to the pandemic staffing in Texas schools has been significantly difficult and the region is facing serious teacher shortages in schools across the state. Dallas Colleges School of Education has taken it upon itself to help alleviate some of these increasing shortages by implementing its current apprenticeship scheme previously used in the healthcare industry for training programs in the education sector.

“The apprenticeships will help fill short-term workforce needs of partner school systems while providing a rich, career-embedded learning opportunity for Dallas College students, resulting in a living-wage job. “We are thrilled to launch this program with two local school partners and would love to expand it to school systems across the region. The apprenticeship program removes financial barriers and supports school systems in growing their own pipeline of talented educators.”

Sara DeLano, Dallas College Dean of Educator Pathways

Dallas College’s first partnership in this effort is with Richardson Independent School District (RISD) where apprentices who are currently enrolled in Dallas College’s teaching degree program will be placed at schools that are most in need of additional educators. The program's first participants for the fall of 2022 will earn $30,000 each in year-long residencies. Participating students will serve as residents three days a week in classrooms as well as either tutor or serve as a substitute a day a week. Overall the program will look to serve around 200 future educators in partnering school districts across Dallas County.

Earlier this year, Dallas College became the first program in the state to be registered with The U.S. Department of Labor to serve and be able to run registered apprenticeship programs for teaching. During the first year of this program, Dallas College will allocate approximately $150,000 in apprenticeship dollars from the Department of Labor grant to cover students’ tuition. Dallas College will also seek funding through the Department’s $113 million “Apprenticeship Building America” program to support and expand teaching apprenticeships.