Florida Board of Education approves teacher apprenticeship program

WCJB | By Cody Butler | October 19, 2023

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCJB/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – There is now a new way for people to become teachers across Florida. The state board of education approved rules to implement the new Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

Schools across Florida started the fall semester with nearly 7,000 teacher openings posted on district websites. That’s according to an August count done by the Florida Education Association. Its President Andrew Spar says he welcomes any solution to the teacher shortage.

“We actually think teachers who tend to have internship programs really need more of a residency kind of concept kind of like doctors have,” Spar said.

Wednesday, the Florida Board of Education approved rules for a new Teacher Apprenticeship Program. Under the program, apprentices get on-the-job training as they earn a degree and teaching license.

The Florida Association of District School Superintendents said in a statement they’re supportive of the program, saying “Professionals dedicated to education should have the opportunity to receive the combination of quality instruction and on-the-job training.”

“Being in a classroom from beginning to the end of a school year really to immerse the future teacher in the whole process of a school year, what it takes to run a classroom because the bottom line is teaching is hard,” Spar said.

“Spar said even though this program could get more teachers in the classroom, he’d like to see the legislature do even more.”

“The bigger situation here is going to be keeping people in the profession. We can’t keep having a revolving door of people coming in for one, two or three years and then heading back out,” Spar said.

The state is putting $9 million toward the apprenticeship program. This year’s state budget included $1.1 billion for teacher pay. Far less than the $2.5 billion the Florida Education Association is needed to compete with other states.