Today, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announced it received approval from the DC Apprenticeship Council to launch the first citywide registered apprenticeship for aspiring teachers. The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program provides cost-free pathways for District paraprofessionals and District high school graduates to become certified teachers in DC’s high-demand subject areas, including early childhood, elementary, or special education.
“Through this innovative new program, OSSE is removing barriers to the teaching profession by providing prospective DC educators with flexible coursework offerings leading to a bachelor’s degree and paid on-the-job learning,” said State Superintendent Dr. Christina Grant. “Upon successful completion of the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program, apprentices will be eligible for an OSSE standard teaching credential and will commit to teaching in DC schools after graduation.”
The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program is a critical plank in OSSE’s approach to bolstering the District’s educator workforce pipeline and the program design builds upon learnings from other OSSE teacher preparation initiatives.
"The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program is building the pipeline for tomorrow’s educators, providing support and training to recent high school graduates and current paraprofessionals—free of charge—as they prepare to be lead teachers," said Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn. "DC has the best teachers in the nation, and we continue to invest in our public schools to make sure our teachers have great compensation, great support, and clear ways to grow in their careers. This program will help put more residents on a path to this unparalleled profession, as well as diversify the teacher workforce."
In designing this apprenticeship opportunity, OSSE collaborated with the Department of Employment Services (DOES) to craft rigorous standards and competencies that will ensure new teachers are well-prepared to lead their own classrooms and improve student outcomes. Further, OSSE engaged with school leaders, paraprofessionals and current teachers to inform coursework offerings and program composition.
“The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program expands the pathway to good paying jobs by delivering a cost-free pathway to teacher certification for grades K-12,” said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “...Together we are building bridges for talented high school graduates and passionate paraprofessionals to become the future educators across pre-school and all grade levels in the District of Columbia.”
OSSE is proud to partner with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and the University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) as the related instruction providers for the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program. UDC and UDC-CC will provide degree-granting coursework for OSSE apprentices in the evenings. This clinical coursework is designed to link theory and practice by complementing the on-the-job learning experiences apprentices engage in during the day at DC schools.
"The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is thrilled to collaborate with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to reimagine educator preparation in the District of Columbia," expressed Dr. Anika Burtin, Associate Dean of Academics at UDC. "Our collective aim is to enhance the capabilities of paraprofessionals dedicated to serving DC students, guiding them toward becoming full-time teachers of records. This initiative provides an exciting opportunity to meet the specific needs of the students and families within the District."
OSSE will host an informational session for recent or soon-to-be District high school graduates on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Interested individuals who will have graduated from a District of Columbia public or public charter school by July 1, 2024, and are interested in attending should register here: Prospective Apprentice Interest Form - District Graduate Pathway
Additionally, OSSE will host an information session for currently employed paraprofessionals on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Currently employed paraprofessionals serving in District of Columbia public or public charter schools who are interested in attending should register here: Prospective Apprentice Interest Form - Paraprofessional Pathway
For more information on this program, visit OSSE’s Apprenticeship in Teaching webpage. To learn more about OSSE investments in training programs for educators and other learning initiatives, visit the OSSE Teaching and Learning Professional Learning Opportunities webpage.