geoff: Apprenticeships are
common in fields like welding,
plumbing, and carpentry,but
until recently, the federal
government did not recognize
teaching apprenticeships.
The Biden administration changed
that, and educators are now
hoping that new federal funding,
combined with experience from
college programs will open the
floodgates to a new class of
qualified, diverse teachers for
America's schools
.
Stephanie sy reports from Dallas
for our series "Rethinking
college."
>> 22-year-old Priscilla Cano
Padron says she has always
dreamed of becoming a teacher.
>> I've always wanted to help
people.
I've always wanted to help
someone in need.
Just seeing the relationship I
had with my teachers in
elementary school and how they
have helped me, it's always been
my dream.
>> She is a first generation
mexican-american, just like many
of the students in this
classroom at audelia creek
elementary in Dallas, Texas.
>> I see students that remind me
of myself when I was in their
third grade classroom.
>> Now, thanks to a teaching
apprenticeship, Cano padr.on is
on her way to realizing her
dr.eam.
-- Her dream.
Teacher apprenticeships, at
least those registered with the
department of labor, or knew.
Started last year by the Biden
administration in response to
the pandemic.
17 states have registered
apprenticeship programs, with
interest spreading.
>> After covid and losing so
many teachers in our classrooms,
we really had to come back to
the table to figure out what new
teaching models would look like.
And we knew we had to do
something different.
Reporter: Shareefah nadir-mason
administers the program at
Dallas college, which offers a
low-cost bachelors degree
combined with paid on-the-job
training.
That's what pricilia Cano Padron
was doing at audelia creek
elementary.
>> We don't simply want our
students to be first generation
graduates.
We want them to be first
generation and an impoverished.
So we want them to walk into the
field without the burden of
student loan debt.
Reporter: In nearly all 50
states, certified teachers are
required to have at least a
bachelors degree, which comes
with an average cost of over
$35,000 per year.
The student teaching in the last
year is typically unpaid.
It's a barrier for many would-be
teachers.
The labor department's approval
of registered teacher
apprenticeships unlocks federal
funding to cover tuition, books,
and fees.
>> That is a game changer and
allows us to have a different
conversation about who gets to
become a teacher and how they
get to become a teacher.
Reporter: David Donaldson is
founder of the national center
for "Grow your own," a nonprofit
working to expand the teaching
workforce.
>> We help states and school
districts across the country
launch these, grow your own and
or registered apprenticeship
programs with the ultimate goal
of creating pathways for folks
to become a teacher for free and
get paid to do so.
Reporter: Donaldson challenges
the notion that teaching is no
longer a desirable profession.
He says there are teachers all
around us.
>> With her parents, tutors, bus
drivers, cafeteria workers,
paraprofessionals, folks who
have a heart for teaching, who
if simply given the opportunity,
and usually what this means is
removing the financial barrier
would make an excellent teacher
if given the chance.
>> I wanted to be a teacher, I
just couldn't.
Reporter: Ramia dawes drove a
school bus in Dallas for more
than a decade.
>> I loved driving the school
bus.
I drove the big old bus with
about the kids in the back.
Reporter: Getting a B.A. While
feeding and clothing her two
kids seemed impossible not so
long ago.
>> I was working with kids for
11 years, driving the school
bus.
Reporter: And that whole time
you were thinking, I wouldn't
mind being a teacher.
>> Yeah, I just didn't have the
resources to do so.
Reporter: The Dallas college
apprenticeship program allowed
her to continue her higher
education.
>> It says carrying nine bags of
marbles for a graft.
Reporter: She made roughly
$30,000 as a teacher apprentice
in the Richardson independent
school district last year.
>> I'm working, I'm getting a
paycheck every, you know, two
weeks, and I'm going to school.
I've always wanted to be able to
still provide for my family, but
also do something that I really
had a passion for.
Reporter: High minority, high
poverty regions like Richardson
ISD have been hit harder by the
national teacher shortage.
Tabitha branum is the
district superintendent.
>> If you would have told me ten
years ago that we would be a
place in education where we
start a year with anywhere
between 50 and 100 vacancies, I
would not have believed you.
But our surrounding districts,
we are all faced with having to
look at how we staff differently
because the shortage Israel.
Reporter: The shortage is a key
reason why branum decided to
partner with Dallas college.
The apprentices help support the
full-time teachers, and also
fill vital roles as substitutes.
>> It's an extra set of hands in
the classroom.
And then add to it.
We've talked about the teacher
shortage.
Let's talk about the substitute
shortage.
We have worked really hard to
message to our educators, take
care of yourself.
If you're sick, stay home.
So the fact that these
apprentices are now substitutes
for us one day a week, it's the
relief of those teachers in that
building who know that I might
be off this week, but that
apprentice is going to be in my
classroom.
They can really take the day off
and not worry.
Reporter: Through the Dallas
college program, apprentices
spend significantly more time
working in classrooms than they
would in a traditional program.
Far better preparation for an
aspiring educator, says
shareefah nadir-mason.
>> We have a lot of smart people
that graduate in education but
haven't had the opportunity to
practice enough.
And so we built a program that
is strictly built around
practice.
Reporter: The teacher
apprentices are assigned to
experienced mentors in the
classroom, building their skills
and confidence.
>> When I first came, I was
like,
I don't really know how to teach
math.
And I'm really scared.
I'm learning from people that
are doing it in the classroom.
They know how to handle class
-- classroom management.
They know how to teach.
And I'm able to look at it and
model it.
>> You have 42 little eyes
looking at you.
And with the help of Ms. Gasper
and all my other my team
members, they helped me overcome
that shyness, that fear that I
had of teaching up there and
-- what do you guys see?
Reporter: "Grow your own"'s
David Donaldson says the
apprenticeships are the first
step toward his ultimate
vision, a free quality education
for every teacher in America.
>> Imagine a world with no
teacher vacancies.
That is a really exciting thing
to think about.
Every kid having not only the
teacher they need but deserve.
Reporter: A teacher, one might
say like pricila Cano Padron.
She graduated this month, and
has already accepted an offer to
teach 4th grade reading at a
local elementary school.
For the pbs newshour, I am
Stephanie sy, in Dallas.
♪♪