ADE Secures $5 Million Grant to Support Teacher Development

Federal funds to fuel special education apprenticeship programs

 PHOENIX -- Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne announced today that the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) has secured a federal grant for $5 million over five years that will support teacher apprentices for special education.

Superintendent Horne said, “The grant will expand a program that currently serves more than 90 apprentices statewide, has doubled enrollment in the past year, and maintains a 97 percent apprentice retention rate. Nearly half of current apprentices are pursuing special education certification, demonstrating the strong demand for these pathways.”

Through partnerships with local education agencies, educator preparation providers, and workforce partners, apprentices receive hands-on classroom experience, mentorship from experienced educators, and high-quality preparation designed to address Arizona's ongoing teacher shortage in one of the state's highest-need certification areas.

The funds were made available through the U.S. Department of Education's Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness. This is for Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel development through registered apprenticeship programs. The award will support the expansion of the Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program. It will also support a project known as the Arizona Special Education Teacher Registered Apprenticeship program which will create paid, job-embedded pathways that allow aspiring educators to earn while they learn as they work toward full special education teacher certification.

Sponsored by the Arizona Department of Education in partnership with the Arizona Apprenticeship Office and the National Center for Grow Your Own, the program has become a proven workforce strategy for recruiting, preparing, and retaining educators in special education and strengthening the workforce pipeline for schools across the state.