AZ Department of Education receives $5M federal grant to train special education teachers

The Arizona Department of Education received a $5 million federal grant to expand teacher apprenticeships for special education.

The grant came from the U.S. Department of Education’s Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness grant program.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said in a statement that the funding will help increase the apprenticeships available through the Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program.

“The grant will expand a program that currently serves more than 90 apprentices statewide, has doubled enrollment in the past year and maintains a 97% apprentice retention rate,” he said.

The program allows apprentices to partner with local schools and teacher preparation programs, getting hands-on experience in local classrooms and receiving mentorship from current educators.

The grant will also support a special education branch of the program that includes training-to-workforce pathways for participants.

According to the Arizona Department of Education, the program is designed to help address Arizona’s teacher shortage, with 14% of Arizona teachers leaving the classroom during the 2024-25 school year.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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