On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded millions of dollars toward a statewide teacher apprenticeship program. The purpose, he says, is to improve the state’s education while strengthening the teacher pipeline.
The state’s Grow Your Own Teacher grant program was created earlier this year by lawmakers to expand opportunities for teacher apprenticeships in Florida. It's all funded through state tax dollars and this year lawmakers set aside $5 million dollars to grow the program.
“Florida is proud to offer a hands-on teacher apprenticeship program that prioritizes classroom experience over university-based learning,” DeSantis said in a press release. “As the national leader in education, we will continue to support our teachers and make sure we have high-quality educators at every school in the state.”
DeSantis’ team says the money will help more than 200 teachers per year become certified teachers while they work in the classroom. The $5 million dollars will be divided between 10 colleges and universities across Florida, one being Tallahassee’s only historically black college, Florida A&M University.
The latest investment follows a list of other education initiatives including more certification pathways programs and an increase in teacher pay.