Delaware is looking to hire future teachers from within its own schools and communities.
In order to strengthen the educator workforce, 67 school-based professionals will be supported by the state to take the next step to becoming teachers.
This will help keep those connected to the students and communities in places they already serve.
"This is an opportunity to say we know that we've got these great resources. We've got people who are really invested already in the school community and know it well. This is such a huge opportunity to invest in the people who are already engaging in the work in various capacities to help give them a no cost option to become a teacher," said Katie Burns with the Department of Education.
The new teacher apprentices come from 12 Delaware school districts and charter schools, and signed a commitment to begin their programs this fall.
The Department of Education’s Ann Hlabangana-Clay describes the aim of the initiative.
"Create low cost and no cost pathways for folks that are already within our Delaware schools,” said Hlabangana-Clay. “They could be in high school right? Or they might be in another area or field within education, but want to become paraprofessionals. And in my work, they’re paraprofessionals, and they want to become teachers."
High school Teacher Academy graduates are also among those in the new cohort, along with paraprofessionals and other school-based professionals selected by their districts and charter schools.
Delaware is now supporting 105 educator apprentices, while 201 have either been prepared or are currently preparing to become educators in Delaware schools.
