Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program
Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program supports aspiring Tennessee educators through paid, mentored school-based training to address teacher shortages and strengthen local educator pipelines.
Funder: Tennessee Department of Education
Due Dates: 2024–2027 (Program start window; varies by program) | Fall 2025 (Principal apprenticeship launch)
Funding Amounts: Paid apprenticeship; registration form lists $8.87 entry wage and $26.67 experienced-worker wage; term of 2,000–6,000 hours
Summary: Supports paid, mentored, school-based pathways into Tennessee’s education workforce to address teacher shortages and strengthen local educator pipelines.
Key Information: Participation requires college or university admission and employment with an approved school district; the interest form is not an application.
Description
The Tennessee Department of Education’s Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP) combines classroom learning with paid, on-the-job experience under an experienced mentor. Built on the Grow Your Own initiative launched in 2020, the program connects school districts and Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs) to create sustainable pathways into education and remove barriers to entering the profession. Its registered apprenticeship model is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and was developed with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Apprentices work in schools from day one while developing professional skills. Tennessee offers registered apprenticeships for teachers, paraprofessionals, and principals. The department’s priorities include expanding educator pipelines, providing high-quality mentoring, promoting strategic staffing and differentiated pay models, and recruiting and retaining educators to meet student needs.
