RECRUITMENT & RETENTION INFO: ADE Awarded $5 Million Grant to Expand Special Education Teacher Apprenticeships

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) has been awarded a $5 million federal grant over five years to expand pathways into the special education teaching profession through registered teacher apprenticeship programs. Funded through the U.S. Department of Education and implemented in partnership with the National Center for Grow Your Own, this investment will strengthen Arizona's special education workforce and increase access to highly qualified special education teachers for students across the state.

Led by ADE's Educator Recruitment and Retention team in collaboration with ADE/Exceptional Student Services (ESS), the funding will support the Arizona Special Education Teacher Registered Apprenticeship (ASTRA) initiative. Building on the success of the Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program (AZTRAP), ASTRA will create paid, job-embedded pathways for aspiring special education teachers to earn certification while remaining employed in their local schools and communities. The initiative will provide new opportunities for paraprofessionals, instructional assistants, substitute teachers, and other school-based personnel to become certified special education teachers through a combination of classroom experience, mentorship, and coursework.

The award expands AZTRAP, which currently serves more than 90 apprentices statewide, has doubled enrollment in the past year, and maintains a 97% retention rate. Nearly half of current apprentices are pursuing special education certification, demonstrating the strong demand for apprenticeship-based teacher preparation opportunities.

By creating accessible pathways into the profession, ASTRA will help develop and retain the next generation of special education teachers while addressing Arizona's shortage in one of the state's highest-need certification areas.