Special education support staff can get fully licensed teaching degrees through new apprenticeship program

A new program is training education support staff to become special education teachers. 

Starting Monday, public schools in Minneapolis, North Branch and Owatonna are partnering with Minnesota State University, Mankato to launch the Forward Together: Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program. The goal: address the demand for special education teachers in urban and rural school districts amid an educator shortage. 

“These apprentices have such inspiring stories, and we look forward to making their dreams of becoming licensed teachers a reality,” said Ryan Mulso, administrator of teacher apprenticeships at Minneapolis Public Schools. 

Registered teacher apprenticeships started at the federal level in 2022, and there are several states that now have apprenticeship programs for education. Minnesota — through the Department of Labor and Industry — has been focusing on growing more educators not just in numbers, but also ones reflecting changing student demographics in different districts.

“School districts across the country are experiencing challenges hiring and retaining teachers, and our districts are no different,” said Chris Picha, director of human resources and student affairs at Owatonna Public Schools. “The Forward Together: Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program aims to address the teacher shortage by attracting excellent candidates of diverse backgrounds from our local communities and removing barriers to becoming a licensed teacher.”

All the first teacher apprentices are associate degree holders or are close to obtaining their licensing. MSU Mankato worked with the partnering districts to accommodate the program so apprentices can maintain their full-time employment while balancing their coursework during the regular school day. 

By removing potential barriers, it may widen the candidate pool for those wanting to enter the teaching profession but couldn’t because of money, time, or licensing. It might also mean having to quit full-time employment and driving far distances to receive the necessary education for certification. 

Now, working through locally partnered districts can help provide another option to obtain the necessary training and experience to become licensed special education teachers.

“We believe that these community-based connections will make a difference in student outcomes long term,” said Superintendent Sara Paul of North Branch Area Public Schools.

Teri Preisler, acting director of the Center for Educator Partnerships and Student Support, said about 25 people applied for the first cohort and could graduate as early as 2026. Throughout the program, apprentices get hands-on experience, do their coursework and keep working in their classrooms so they can receive their teaching degrees and licenses.

“It is in a manner that is both affordable and time-wise for working adults to gain their degree and be able to continue working and have time for our humanness of personal life,” Preisler said. “I think that’s the piece that makes the apprenticeship different, because it’s not taking courses at nights or on weekends or doing projects then learning in that manner … it’s directly connected with what they are experiencing in the school.”

The apprentices will also have teachers to mentor them during the two years while gaining their degree, Preisler added. 

Pathway programs aren’t new statewide. In southwest Minnesota, the Southwest Teacher Preparation Partnership program has students complete general education credits at Minnesota West Community and Technical College as part of the teacher educational pathway. 

Once finished, they enroll at Southwest Minnesota State University and continue completing courses and student teaching with in-person night classes and some online instruction on the Minnesota West campus in Worthington. Then, all field placements happen in the Worthington Public School District. All students living in the Worthington school district can apply for the program. 

There are different models of a teacher pathway program, Preisler said, but this specific one that’s launching focuses on special education and for those who already have an associate’s degree or are very close to obtaining their teaching license.

“It’s not to take the place of any other incredible pathways that there already are to becoming an educator,” she said. “But, it is another pathway that opens doors for those who have not had a door open before. Ultimately, the K-12 students who will be quality teachers see themselves and hopefully shift the narrative about becoming an educator. It's such a noble profession and so honoring, and it’s one that we really do need to lift up more.”

• With costs ballooning, what’s the future of universal school lunch programs?
• Restricting cell phone use in schools
• Here’s where Trump and Harris stand on 6 education issues