Cleveland Reporter

Gov. Mike DeWine introduced Ohio's new Teacher Apprenticeship Program on Aug. 15, aimed at addressing educator shortages and creating an additional pathway into teaching. The program, developed in partnership with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, Ohio Department of Education, and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, offers a unique approach to help individuals, such as teacher aides and bus drivers, obtain teaching licenses, emphasizing practical experience and mentorship.

“This is an innovative way to help those already working in schools, such as teachers’ aids, library specialists, or bus drivers, obtain their teaching license,” said Gov. DeWine, according to an Aug. 15 press release. “School districts are able to identify potential future teachers who are already a part of their communities and provide them the support and guidance they need to succeed.”

According to the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio's Teacher Apprenticeship model combines educator preparation practices with a registered apprenticeship program, enhancing partnerships between higher education institutions' educator programs and K–12 schools. Ohio's Departments of Higher Education, Education, and Jobs and Family Services collaborated to establish the program's standards, recognized by the State Apprenticeship Agency. The program's coordination involves the Departments of Higher Education and Jobs and Family Services, with the former serving as the sponsor and the latter approving apprentices sponsored by the former.

While numerous K–12 schools in Ohio have around 2,000 unfilled teaching positions, the state has allocated $15 million over two years for a teacher apprenticeship program, according to WDTN News. This initiative aims to address teacher shortages and support challenging districts' growth by encouraging non-teaching staff interested in teaching to pursue degrees and receive pay during their employment.

The teacher apprenticeship program targets existing non-teaching school staff interested in becoming teachers. WDTN News reported that Randy Gardner, Ohio Department of Higher Education's chancellor, highlighted how the program incentivizes these individuals to earn their degrees by providing payment for their employment and potentially helping cover educational costs.

The Logan Daily News reported that Ohio faces a shortage of around 600 teachers among its 611 school districts, particularly in subjects like arts, English/language arts, math, science, foreign languages, social studies, and special education. The Ohio Department of Education does not track annual unfilled teaching positions but identifies concerns in specific regions, noting a comparable number of teachers to the past decade's average and a decline in enrollment leading to historically low student-to-teacher ratios.