Nebraska reported being 800 teachers short of what the state needs when the school year began last fall, and numerous bills are being proposed within the state Legislature to address the problem. One such bill, LB762, is being sponsored by state senator Wendy DeBoer, and it would replace traditional student-teacher training, which last just one semester, with a year-long, paid apprenticeship program funded by the state and federal government.
The model, which is largely inspired by one pioneered by Tennessee and adopted by numerous other states, “helps mitigate the high cost of becoming a teacher,” said Senator DeBoer at Tuesday morning’s Education committee hearing. “It provides a salary for them sooner, and it helps them overall to afford their educational cost.” The apprenticeship would help student teachers match with a school directly or with a state program that is associated with schools.
State funding would be necessary, according to DeBoer. The most successful models around the country use state funds to cover tuition for the apprentice while they keep up with the demands of the program. DeBoer argues that “a little money from us” will go a long way toward training teachers more effectively with a year-long program. DeBoer estimates that $30,000 would be needed to cover every apprentice.
Federal funds could also be used to enhance the state-wide apprenticeship. “The US Secretary of Education called upon the states to create their own programs following the Tennessee model,” said Senator DeBoer. “Second, the US Department of Labor announced $100 million worth of grants available for states to take advantage of for registered teacher apprenticeship programs, which increases the importance of getting a program off the ground in Nebraska.”