Tennessee’s Apprenticeship Model aligns leading practices in teacher preparation and development with the rigors and funding of the national registered apprenticeship process. A Registered Apprenticeship Program is a proven model of professional training that has been validated by either the USDOL or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Tennessee’s Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship was the first of its kind federally registered through the USDOL, meeting national quality standards that are hallmarks for both employers and job seeking apprentices.  

The Teacher Apprenticeship is a sustainably funded model to address the financial, recruitment, and preparation challenges school districts experience – both in the short and long term. Whereas previous Tennessee Grow Your Own programs were funded through one-time relief funds, the Tennessee Teacher Apprenticeship model leverages both federal and state workforce dollars, preserving locally designed programs while meeting national apprenticeship standards. Tennessee’s Teacher Apprenticeship model is an evolution of the state’s initial Grow Your Own approach. Instead of offering competitive grants for districts to receive one-time funding, Tennessee’s Teacher Apprenticeships now offer sustainable funding opportunities through federal and state workforce dollars for no-cost pathways and stronger programming.  

The National Rural Education Association is proud to work with both the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga School of Education and the Tennessee Department of Education to support rural teacher pathways!