6A-5.067. Teacher Apprenticeship Program

(1) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to implement the Teacher Apprenticeship Program to provide an alternative pathway to enter the teaching profession as set forth in Section 1012.555, Florida Statutes (F.S.).

(2) Definitions. In this rule, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Initial Teacher Preparation Program,” also known as ITP, means a program offered by Florida postsecondary institutions to prepare instructional personnel under Section 1004.04, F.S., and Rule 6A-5.066, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

(b) “On-the-Job Training” means a formalized system of job processes, which must be augmented by related instruction, that provides the experience and knowledge necessary to meet the training objective of learning the occupation of teaching. The on-the-job training must be delivered through structured, supervised work experience under the tutelage of a teacher apprentice mentor. 

(c) “Participating Employer” means the public school districts, charter schools and charter management organizations that have been approved by the Department of Education (Department) to participate in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program. The responsibility to hire, employ, and pay the progressive wage structure of the teacher apprentice and the wages of the teacher apprentice mentor who is training the teacher apprentice rests with the participating employer as specified in Rule 6A-23.002(19), F.A.C.

(d) “Related Instruction” means an organized and systematic form of instruction designed to provide the teacher apprentice with knowledge of the theoretical subjects related to the apprentice’s specific occupation. For the purposes of the Teacher Apprenticeship Program, the related instruction must consist of upper division coursework applied toward the award of a baccalaureate degree that prepares the teacher apprentice for initial teacher preparation and a professional certificate as set forth in Section 1012.56, F.S.

(e) “Sponsor” means the Department; the Department administers the program on behalf of participating school districts, charter schools and charter management organizations in accordance with the Standards of Apprenticeship registered in accordance with Rule 6A-23.004, F.A.C.

(f) “Teacher Apprentice” means an individual who holds a temporary teacher apprenticeship certificate in accordance with Section 1012.56(7)(d), F.S., and Rule 6A-4.004, F.A.C., and who is employed by a participating employer and placed in the classroom of a teacher apprentice mentor using team teaching strategies to fulfill the on-the-job training component of the registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

(g) “Teacher Apprentice Mentor” means a teacher who is employed by and has been selected by the participating employer to serve as a mentor in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program for the on-the-job training component of the Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

(h) “Work Process” means an outline of teacher apprentice mentor supervised work experiences and on-the-job training with the allocation of approximate hours to be spent in each activity in accordance with Rule 6A-23.002(32), F.A.C.

(3) Teacher Apprentice Requirements. As a condition of participating in the program, a teacher apprentice must:

(a) Hold a temporary teacher apprenticeship certificate as provided in Section 1012.56(7)(d), F.S., subject to Rule 6A-4.004(4), F.A.C.;

(b) Be appointed by the district school board as an education paraprofessional;

(c) Commit to spending at least the first two (2) years in the classroom of a teacher apprentice mentor using team teaching strategies, and fulfilling the on-the-job training component of the registered apprenticeship and its associated standards;

(d) Complete related instruction as provided in Section 446.051, F.S., and offered by an ITP approved by the Department to provide a baccalaureate degree to a teacher apprentice.

(e) Work faithfully and diligently at the occupation while practicing safe work habits;

(f) Ensure the health, safety and welfare of students in the participating employer’s district or school;

(g) Respect and comply with all rules, regulations, and policies of the participating employer and the Department; and

(h) Keep accurate records of on-the-job training, successfully complete all related instruction lessons, assignments, and assessments, and submit properly completed records upon request.

(4) Teacher Apprentice Mentor Eligibility and Responsibilities. A classroom teacher who is selected by the participating employer to serve as a teacher apprentice mentor must:

(a) Meet the following requirements for eligibility:

1. Have at least five (5) years of teaching experience in Florida;

2. Received an aggregate score of highly effective on the three most recently available value-added model (VAM) scores as calculated by the department based upon Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C., or received an aggregate score of highly effective on the three most recently available performance evaluations in accordance with Section 1012.34, F.S., if the teacher did not generate a state VAM score calculated based upon Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C.; and

3. Completion of district or charter school clinical educator training.

(b) Mentor his or her teacher apprentice using team-teaching strategies;

(c) Observe, verify, and submit to the related instruction provider supporting evidence of demonstrating on-the-job training requirements in accordance with Rule 6A-23.004(2)(c)-(d), F.A.C.

(5) Participating Employer Responsibilities. Responsibilities of the participating employer are as follows:

(a) Agree to meet the Teacher Apprenticeship Program standards;

(b) Agree to select for the Teacher Apprentice Program only those persons who meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Have received an associate degree from an accredited postsecondary institution;

2. Have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 in that degree program;

3. Have successfully passed a background screening as provided in Section 1012.32, F.S.;

4. Have been accepted by the Florida postsecondary institution that is offering the related instruction component of the program; and

5. Have received a temporary teacher apprenticeship certificate from the Department as provided in Section 1012.56(7)(d) and Rule 6A-4.004(4), F.A.C.

(c) Meet the minimum paraprofessional salary wage in the Participating Employer school district for its teacher apprentices and salary must be in accordance with Section 446.032, F.S., and Rule 6A-23.004(2)(e), F.A.C.;

(d) Establish job duties for a teacher apprentice to ensure in-classroom, on-the-job training is provided; and 

(e) Monitor and ensure that teacher apprentices are acquiring knowledge and skills for instructional practice to meet high standards for academic achievement, which must include the following:

1. The practice, demonstration, and mastery of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices as specified in Rule 6A-5.065, F.A.C.; and

2. Demonstrate all other requirements of professional preparation as specified in Rule 6A-4.006(2), F.A.C.

(f) Allow a teacher apprentice to change schools or districts after the first year of his or her apprenticeship if the hiring school or district has agreed to fund the remaining year of the apprenticeship and the hiring school or district has been approved by the Department as a participating employer. The participating employer must:

1. Notify the Sponsor of any changes as specified in Rule 6A-23.004(2), F.A.C.; and

2. Assign new teacher apprentice mentor that meets the qualifications as specified Section 1012.555(3), F.S.

(g) Subject to a legislative appropriation, a participating employer must provide a bonus to a teacher apprentice mentor. Upon completion of the first year of the apprenticeship, fifty (50) percent of the bonus amount will be awarded to the teacher apprentice mentor.

(h) Provide the remainder of the bonus to a teacher apprentice mentor at the conclusion of the apprenticeship if the following conditions are met:

1. The teacher apprentice mentor successfully guides his or her apprentice to completion of the apprenticeship program; and

2. Upon completion of the apprenticeship program, his or her apprentice is hired by a school district or charter school in Florida.

(i) Annually submit program participant data to the Department.

(6) Participating related instruction providers must:

(a) Have a state approved ITP in accordance with Section 1004.04, F.S., and Rule 6A-5.066, F.A.C.;

(b) Provide baccalaureate coursework where instruction is delivered in-person, virtually, or hybrid;

(c) Provide related instruction for the reading endorsement requirement if the coverage area is specified in Section 1012.585(3)(f), F.S., and identified in Rule 6A-4.0051(7), F.A.C.;

(d) Formulate and implement a review process for ongoing submissions of the Work Process schedule and award credit hours for the practice, demonstration and mastery of the FEAP as specified in Rule 6A-5.065, F.A.C., to meet on-the-job training requirements;

(e) Award a baccalaureate degree in Education to apprentices who successfully complete the related instruction; and

(f) be approved by the Department to offer related instruction for the Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

(7) A teacher holding a temporary teacher apprenticeship certificate as outlined in 6A-4.004, F.A.C., is not eligible to serve as a classroom teacher as defined in Section 1012.01(2)(a), F.S. or be reported as the teacher of record for funding and class size purposes.

(a) Serve as a classroom teacher as defined in Section 1012.01(2)(a), F.S., or be reported as the teacher of record for funding and class size purposes; and

(b) Apply for a professional certificate as set in Rule 6A-4.0012, F.A.C., until he or she has completed at least two years in an apprenticeship program.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02(1), (2)(n), 1012.555(6) FS. Law Implemented 1012.555, 1012.56(7)(d) FS. History-New 11-21-23, Amended 8-27-24.