DLI reports three awards for registered teacher apprenticeship grant; grantees to spend funds through 2027

Erin Larson, director of the apprenticeship division at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, updated the House committee on DLI’s registered teacher apprenticeship program grant on Feb. 26.

Larson said registered teacher apprenticeship — a model pairing paraprofessional apprentices with licensed teachers in an employment‑based training model — was first recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2022 and has since expanded to other sectors. Minnesota began work on teacher apprenticeships in 2023 and DLI used federal dollars to bring partners together and finalize state standards that meet Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) licensure requirements.

DLI opened a competitive RFP in September; applicants could request up to $3,000,000 each. The agency received three applications totaling roughly $6.8 million and announced three awards in January: Minneapolis Public Schools Teacher Apprenticeship, Minnesota JATC (Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee) and Minnesota Teacher JATC (an extension of the Brightworks program). Larson said DLI is finalizing contracts, grantees must spend awards by 2027, and DLI will provide an annual legislative report beginning in 2028.

Larson noted the grant supports program personnel, related instruction partnerships, start‑up equipment and subawards for tuition and stipends to journey worker teachers. Committee members had no follow‑up questions during the hearing.