Rural Teaching Apprenticeship Grant Round 3

Rural Teaching Apprenticeship Grant Round 3 is sponsored by Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). This grant supports the development and expansion of registered teaching apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in rural Georgia by providing funding for instruction, mentorship, and supportive services.

For school districts across Georgia, paraprofessionals represent one of the strongest pipelines into the teaching profession. Over the past year, the Georgia Department of Education has worked with districts statewide to formalize that pathway through the Georgia Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program – a paid, classroom-based route to teacher certification.

The Georgia Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program allows paraprofessionals to earn teacher certification while continuing to work in their classrooms. It combines on-the-job learning, college coursework, mentorship, and coordinate district and state support, helping school systems develop and retain educators who are already rooted in their communities.

“Georgia’s teacher pipeline must reflect the needs of our local communities,” **State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. **“Our apprenticeship pathway creates a practical, accessible route into the profession for parapros who are already serving students and want to take the next step. It strengthens our workforce while keeping educators connected to their local schools and communities.

” Since its formal launch on November 4, 2024, the program has expanded statewide. With support from a $3. 9 million Apprenticeship Building America grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, GaDOE has supported 29 school districts in implementing registered teacher apprenticeship programs.

The program now serves 132 teaching apprentices working toward certification. In December 2025, the program graduated its first participants, representing Crisp County and Ben Hill County Schools. For apprentices like Jerardy Castro, a K-12 Teaching Apprentice attending Georgia Southwestern State University and employed by Crisp County Schools, the program provides an opportunity to return to and serve his home community.

“I actually grew up here and went through the Crisp County School System, graduated from here,” **Castro said. **“I am happy and excited to be back here, giving back to my community. ” Crisp County’s teaching apprenticeship program is funded through the GaDOE Rural Teaching Apprenticeship Grant and additional state apprenticeship funds, reflecting a coordinated approach to educator workforce development.

In addition to registered apprenticeships, GaDOE is expanding its grow-your-own strategy through pre-apprenticeship pathways. Twenty-three rural districts are developing paraprofessional-to-teacher pipelines that begin with high school pre-apprenticeships and transition into full registered apprenticeships, supporting long-term educator recruitment in hard-to-staff communities.

As the state-level sponsor, GaDOE supports districts by streamlining apprenticeship registration, facilitating partnerships between school systems and in-state educator preparation providers, and assisting districts in accessing federal and state funding. It’s all part of GaDOE’s broader Teach in the Peach campaign, which is focused on making Georgia the number-one state for teachers to teach.

Through its 2026 legislative priorities, GaDOE is calling on the Georgia General Assembly to support statewide expansion of the apprenticeship program, along with Georgia’s BEST – a program that offers free advanced degrees to eligible teachers.

## More Information on the Georgia Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program For more information, including participating districts and coordinator contacts, visit the Teacher Apprenticeship page on Teach in the Peach or email gartap@doe. k12. ga.

us. ## About Teach in the Peach Teach in the Peach is GaDOE’s statewide campaign dedicating to “Making Georgia the #1 State for Teachers to Teach” by attracting, recognizing, and retaining top talent in education. The campaign features a dynamic website, teachinthepeach.

org, designed to simplify and celebrate the pathway to becoming a Georgia public school teacher; signature events like Educator Signing Day; and signature initiatives like the teacher apprenticeship program.