State seeing early enthusiasm for early childhood teacher apprenticeship program
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The Indiana Secretary of Education says the early feedback from a pilot program to help high school students get a jumpstart on their careers as early childhood educators has been positive.
A total of 65 students across seven Indiana school districts are participating in the pilot of the state’s new Early Childhood Education Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program.
The students receive classroom instruction, paid on-the-job training, and the chance to earn credentials while still in high school.
Katie Jenner told Inside INdiana Business said it’s all part of an effort to make the students’ four years of high school as valuable as possible, while also addressing a statewide need.
“These are students who want to be early learning teachers, which is absolutely a need in our state for early learning and child care,” Jenner said. “They’ll earn a wage, and then they will also take college credit courses to earn that credential so that when they finish high school, not only will they leave with a diploma, but they’ll also leave with a credential and immediately be able to start working at an early childhood center in Indiana.”
Participants can also choose to continue their education at a college or university and receive dual credit while in high school.
The Indiana Department of Education held a “signing day” for the participating students at the Indiana Statehouse late last month, where they “signed” with local employers and higher education partners to make their apprenticeship official.
Jenner said the response from students was overwhelming.
“One of the young students who I talked to said he saw this as really a starting point for his four-year college journey,” she said. “So his plan was to get this certification, have this work experience, and then continue to pursue education in the next four years.”
The program is funded by the federal Preschool Development Grant and is in partnership with the Family and Social Services Administration Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning.
Jenner said the program is just the latest in the state’s effort to promote apprenticeships across all industries.
“It makes the four years of high school even more valuable because it connects the students to their unique goals and dreams by essentially blurring the lines between their high school experience a higher education experience,” she said. “Most apprentices are leaving with a credential of value and then also experience in the workplace, which is where they can really get after improving their skill development, but also build a network of people in that industry that they’re interested in.”
The students participating in the pilot program come from Anderson Community Schools, Elkhart Community Schools, Greater Lafayette Career Academy, Indianapolis Public Schools, Lewis Cass Schools, Metropolitan School District Lawrence Township [in Indianapolis] and New Albany Floyd County Schools.
Jenner said the potential for growing the program to more districts around the state is very high, and the IDOE has already received interest from other schools. But, she plans to start slow.
“I’m a big believer that if we can start in a small way and really learn what’s working and then understand also what’s not working, and make those improvements, and then proceed to scale the opportunity…I do expect interest will increase. We just want to make sure we take the time to get it right.”