Grow Your Own Registered Teacher Apprenticeships

Program Description:  

Grow Your Own is a concept that encourages local paid apprenticeship pathways for aspiring educators. Local school districts are invited to identify talent within their communities that they believe would benefit from the apprenticeship. Districts then work with Grow Your Own to place the aspiring educator in a paraprofessional role and assign them a mentor teacher. Most apprenticeships last for at least a year while the aspiring educator earns a bachelor’s degree or post-bachelor’s license. The aspiring educators can earn their degrees or license for free while being employed as a paraprofessional and engaging in the student-teaching experience. Once the aspiring educator has completed the program and received their credentials, they are eligible to be hired as full-time teachers.  

This registered apprenticeship program was approved in November 2021 by the U.S. Department of Labor, which provides funding for districts participating in the program. Another way in which districts and states can receive support is through the National Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Network, facilitated by the National Center for Grow Your Own. The Network was created to provide support for those engaging with the work across the country, exchange innovative ideas, and help elevate the apprenticeship to the national level. 

Impact:  

As of 2026, based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor, over 230 K-12 Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Programs have been created across the country, serving over 6,200 active apprentices. The success and growth of this model inspired the creation of the Principal Registered Apprenticeship.

Population Served:  

There are no age or educational background requirements or limits on who can participate in the program. Registered Teacher Apprenticeships are active in all 50 states, and the National Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching Network is active in over 45 states and the District of Columbia and Guam.  

Learn more here.  

Page last updated in August 2026