State awarded $4.9M Apprenticeship Expansion Grant to support teacher workforce

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke joined the Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board to announce that Hawaiʻi has been awarded a $4.9 million State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF) grant by the US Department of Labor to the DLIR. This funding will be used to support Hawaiʻi’s teacher workforce by creating the first statewide registered apprenticeship program for K-12 teachers.

The program will enable approximately 142 aspiring educators to ‘earn and learn’ while obtaining their bachelor’s degrees at no cost, avoiding student loans. It also sets them on a path to be full-time teachers upon completion of the program.

“The reality is Hawaiʻi has faced a teacher shortage for years. Addressing it will take a coordinated effort, so I’m grateful to the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board for their vision to empower our future teachers,” said Luke. “We have to support our future teachers by removing financial barriers and providing the benefits and mentorship they need to succeed.”

In addition to classroom experience for future teachers, the apprenticeship program will train nationally certified teachers to become mentors to individuals entering the teaching profession, helping retain quality, homegrown teachers. On average, about half of new teachers leave the teaching profession within the first five years, according to the Department of Education.

“The ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeship framework is a gamechanger for Hawaiʻi as it opens up more opportunities for homegrown talent that reflects the cultural diversity of our communities,” said HTSB Executive Director, Felicia Villalobos. “By the end of their program, they’ll be fully licensed teachers with two to three years in the classroom experience.”

This type of registered apprenticeship program was first introduced in 2022 in Tennessee and is quickly spreading across the nation.

“Expanding Registered Apprenticeships for aspiring teachers from lower-income and rural communities creates a high-quality, low-cost pathway for bringing talented and diverse candidates into the teaching profession,” said DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi. “This homegrown talent will reduce teacher turnover and improve student achievement in these same communities.”

Backers of the apprenticeship program say it will alleviate financial burdens for future teachers like Nicole Dolor-Bala, who is pursuing her bachelor’s in education at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. “Coming from a low-income and immigrant family, I knew that I had to work extremely hard to pursue my aspiration. I had to take out numerous loans and apply for as many scholarships as I possibly could,” said Dolor-Bala. “I firmly believe that this ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeship program is a crucial support system for future educators, enabling them to pursue their dreams without the fear of financial struggles.”

Hawaiʻi is one of nine states to receive the competitive portion of the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula grants.

“DLIR received a round of funding last year and already has made strides to modernize its oversight of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the state,” said DLIR Director Jade Butay. “This includes scanning and digitizing records from over 40 years, including the 6,000+ current registered apprentices.”