Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

osse

Office of the State Superintendent of Education
 

DC Agency Top Menu

-A +A
Bookmark and Share

OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching

Announcements

The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching Application is Live!

Are you interested in becoming an apprentice during the 2024-25 school year? OSSE is now accepting applications from eligible candidates interested in participating in either the District Graduate or Paraprofessional Pathway!

Priority deadlines for consideration are May 17 and May 31, with a final deadline of June 14, 2024.

Start the Application

About the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching Program

Background

The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program is a new, cost-free opportunity to become an Elementary, Early Childhood, or Special Education teacher in DC. This innovative new initiative will remove financial barriers to entering the teaching profession by providing prospective DC educators with a tuition-free bachelor’s degree, flexible coursework offerings, and paid on-the-job learning. Apprentices who successfully complete the program will be eligible for an OSSE standard teaching credential.

OSSE’s Apprenticeship in Teaching program expands on the success of the OSSE Educator Preparation “Grow Your Own” program and was approved by the DC Apprenticeship Council on April 11, 2024. Grounded in the required characteristics of registered apprenticeships, OSSE’s Apprenticeship in Teaching program has three core components that merge to create a streamlined pathway into the classroom:

  • Flexible coursework that leads to a degree
  • On-the-job learning in DC public or public charter schools
  • Wages that increase based on years of experience

During the day, apprentices will work full-time in a DC school under the guidance of a mentor teacher to learn the skills needed to become an effective, career educator. In the evenings, apprentices will complete coursework that leads to a bachelor’s degree. Coursework is flexible and designed to meet apprentices’ needs— a combination of hybrid, virtual, asynchronous, and traditional in-person courses will be offered.

Coursework and degrees will be cost-free to apprentices in exchange for their commitment to teach in DC schools after graduation!

Eligibility

The Apprenticeship in Teaching Program offers two distinct pathways to a degree and eligibility for an OSSE standard teaching credential in Special Education, Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education.

Pathway Eligibility Program Length

District Graduate Bachelor’s Pathway

Apprentices on this pathway will work approximately 30 hours a week in placements at DC local education agencies, with wages funded by OSSE, while completing coursework leading to a bachelor’s degree.

 Any candidate with a high school diploma (or GED) from a DC high school but does not yet have all the credits required for a bachelor’s degree. Up to 4 years

Current Paraprofessional Bachelor’s Pathway

Apprentices on this pathway will continue working full-time at the schools in which they are currently employed while completing coursework leading to a bachelor’s degree.

 Candidates must be currently employed as a paraprofessional at a DCPS or DC public charter school. An eligible candidate may have some higher education experience but does not yet have all the credits required for a bachelor’s degree. 2-4 years*

*The length of the paraprofessional bachelor’s pathway is dependent on the amount of transferrable higher education credits candidates have when entering the program.

Additional Information

Resources

For more details on each pathway, including a yearly breakdown of pathways, please see the resources below:

Contact Information

For additional information regarding the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program please email [email protected]. Our team will work to respond to your request within two business days.

More Resources