Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $1.7 Million in Teacher Apprenticeship Grants

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $1.7 Million in Teacher Apprenticeship Grants 

 

Funds support seven school districts, removing financial barriers to teaching and strengthening the K-12 educator workforce  

 
BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today over $1.7 million in grants to seven school districts implementing the state’s first Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs in Massachusetts, a key step in the administration’s efforts to strengthen and grow Massachusetts’ educator workforce. 

 

The awarded districts have launched an initial cohort with 27 registered teacher apprentices, with funding supporting mentorship and supervision, tuition and fees, licensure assessment preparation, professional development and program coordination.  

 

Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs (RTAP) provide an innovative, no-cost pathway to earning an Initial teaching license by integrating paid, on-the-job training with academic coursework. Apprentices can earn while they learn under the mentorship of experienced educators. The program is designed to strengthen teacher preparation through job-embedded learning while reducing financial and systemic barriers that can limit access to the teaching profession. 

 

“We need more talented educators in our classrooms, and we need to make it easier for people to enter the teaching profession. That is why our administration launched the state’s first Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program to diversify and strengthen the educator workforce and pipeline across Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These apprenticeship programs are part of our broader goal to grow our workforce and fill 100,000 critical jobs across Massachusetts, including in our schools. By helping districts remove financial barriers and create real pathways into teaching, we are helping more people step into the classroom and make sure every student has access to a great educator.”  

 

“Programs such as the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program help local communities by cultivating an educator workforce reflective of student populations,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “We want to continue to continue expanding access to the teaching profession and providing opportunities for educators advance their skills.”  

 

The primary goals of registered teacher apprenticeships are to cultivate a diverse and effective teacher pipeline that reflects Massachusetts’ student population, address staffing shortages in hard-to-staff licensure areas such as special education, early childhood, English as a second language, and STEM and expand equitable access to the teaching profession. 

 

“We want all students in Massachusetts to have educators with the knowledge, skills and training to best support students’ learning,” said Acting Education Secretary Amy Kershaw. “This program is part of our commitment to supporting both educators and students.”  

 

“All students across the Commonwealth should have access to educators who can respond to their specific learning needs,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “We are committed to helping districts fill teaching positions and build a more diverse teacher workforce.”   

 

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration continues to promote the state’s Registered Apprenticeship Program as a proven model that can benefit new industries and in-demand occupations as we work collaboratively to attract and develop untapped talent for meaningful careers in Massachusetts,” said Secretary Lauren Jones. “This Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program is a unique, forward-thinking program that will make teaching careers more accessible, build our talent pipelines, and meet the needs of our communities, schools, and students.” 

 

The grant recipients are:  

• Everett Public Schools: $128,000 
• Lowell Public Schools: $494,150 
• Lynn Public Schools: $275,236 
• Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools: $203,577 
• Randolph Public Schools: $71,961 
• Salem Public Schools: $316,100 
• Waltham Public Schools $249,100 

 

The Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program is part of Governor Healey’s broader effort to grow Massachusetts’ workforce, including the Governor’s goal to register 100,000 apprentices across key sectors such as education, health care, and the skilled trades over the next decade. By expanding pathways into teaching, the administration is strengthening the educator pipeline and helping ensure every student has access to a high-quality education.