News : V-S among those to receive Teacher Apprenticeship Program Grant

To address Iowa's ongoing teacher shortage, the state is investing an additional $3.4 million into a growing apprenticeship program aimed at building the next generation of educators.

Governor Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday that 11 school districts across Iowa have been selected to receive funding through the second round of the Teacher & Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship (TPRA) Program. The initiative, launched in 2022, provides a pathway for high school students and current paraeducators to pursue teaching credentials while gaining real-world experience in the classroom.

"Registered Apprenticeships are a perfect method to train the teachers of tomorrow with extensive, in-the-classroom experience - leading to graduates who are better prepared to succeed in their career from day one," said Reynolds. "We've received such a positive response to the first round of awards, I couldn't be more excited to expand the Teacher & Paraeducator program to more school districts."

Since its inception, TPRA has supported more than 1,000 apprentices across 124 Iowa school districts. The second round of funding will support the development of 68 new teacher apprentices and 26 new paraeducator apprentices.

The districts receiving the new TPRA grants include:

• Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Community School District

• Davis County Community School District

• Dubuque Community School District

• Hamburg Community School District

• Mason City Community School District

• Mediapolis Community School District

• New Hampton Community School District

• Panorama Community School District

• South Central Calhoun Community School District

• Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District

• Waterloo Community School District

Through the TPRA, high school students can earn a paraeducator certificate and associate degree, while paraeducators have a chance to complete their bachelor's degree and transition into teaching roles.

The program is supported by Iowa Workforce Development and continues to expand its reach as schools across the state search for sustainable solutions to staffing shortages in education.