On Aug. 25, the Midland Independent School District (MISD) announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has approved it to sponsor a Registered Apprenticeship Program for teachers. The new initiative will help the school district recruit educators, MISD said in a press release.
“Midland, Texas and the nation are facing a teacher crisis in terms of recruitment and retention,” the district said. “Registered apprenticeships allow the district to mitigate factors that contribute to teacher vacancies.”
Midland is one of three districts in the Lone Star State to have access to the recruitment and training tool, the release said.
Apprenticeship programs can eliminate several barriers, such as funding for college and certification, quality preparation, and entry into the profession, the release said. “This ‘earn-while-you-learn’ model exemplifies the district’s investment in ‘grow your own’ programs.”
The DOL and the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) collaborated on the teacher apprenticeships, which became available late last summer, the release said.