House Education Committee hears rollout of teacher registered-apprenticeship pilots to address Alaska teacher shortage

Juneau — On March 21, 2025, the House Education Committee heard a two-hour briefing on teacher registered-apprenticeship pilots aimed at expanding Alaska’s teacher pipeline and reducing turnover, particularly in rural districts. Presenters from the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), regional sponsors and three state universities described pilots launched in the 2024–25 school year and plans to scale the model.

The briefing introduced apprenticeship as an "earn-and-learn" pathway that pairs paraprofessionals employed by school districts with university coursework and long-term classroom mentorship. "We have a crisis in hiring right now, frankly, in our school districts," said Steven Noonkesser, Special Projects director with the Bristol Bay Regional Career and Technical Education Consortium, summarizing the initiative’s goal of increasing the pipeline of Alaska-grown teachers.

The presenters said registered apprenticeship combines three core elements: paid on-the-job learning (OJL) under a mentor, related technical instruction (RTI) delivered by an approved education-preparation provider (EPP), and a sponsor that reports apprentice progress to the U.S. Department of Labor. Tanya Doucet, dean of the School of Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), said the program meets federal apprenticeship rules that generally expect about 2,000 hours of OJL and 140 hours of RTI per year as baseline targets, though those hours can be adjusted for apprentices with prior mastery.

Why it matters: speakers argued apprenticeship can reduce turnover and fit rural lifestyles. Christy Ford, education director for the Sea Alaska Heritage Institute (SHI), cited a 2017 ISER figure the presenters used in their materials, saying "it keeps costing our districts ... $20,431 each year, on the cost of teacher turnover," and urged districts to consider investing in existing employees through apprenticeship instead of repeatedly recruiting replacements.

How the pilot works: sponsors approved in 2023 and DEED’s sponsorship (approved December 2024) create framework options for districts. Presenters described several sponsor models: regional consortia (for example, Bristol Bay RCTE), nonprofit foundations (Arctic Slope Community Foundation), single large districts that serve as both employer and sponsor (Bering Strait), and DEED’s statewide sponsorship. Education-preparation providers approved for registered-apprenticeship pathways include the University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Pacific University, University of Alaska Fairbanks (elementary pathway planned for fall enrollment), University of Alaska Southeast (elementary/secondary pathways), and Chadron State College (out-of-state partner used by some districts).

Universities described stacked, flexible pathways that allow multiple entry and exit points. UAA’s dean described three ‘‘Sunray’’ tiers that stack from an 18-credit occupational endorsement to an associate degree and then a bachelor’s degree leading to teacher certification; UAA reported 48 apprentices currently enrolled. Alaska Pacific University reported six apprentices in its competency-based program. Tanya Doucet said apprentices in the UAA cohort included 63 percent Alaska Native participants; she also reported cohort-level course metrics the university is tracking (68 percent of apprentices completed all courses in the recent term; course pass rate across attempts was 72 percent).

Mentorship, cultural competence and scheduling: presenters emphasized mentorship as central. Mentors are expected to coach apprentices on observable on-the-job competencies and coordinate with EPP coursework. DEED and partners said mentorship models must reflect local culture and suggested a partnership model—where mentors and apprentices learn from each other—rather than a one-way master-apprentice relationship. Presenters noted scheduling flexibility and modular coursework are necessary in regions where seasonal work (for example, Bristol Bay fishing) affects participants’ availability.

Funding and costs: speakers described a patchwork of supports. DEED and sponsor organizations said they secured a U.S. Department of Labor State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula grant to cover some tuition and direct services for apprentices in the pilot, and sponsors have used other federal and state funds to subsidize tuition and mentor supports. Districts typically continue to pay apprentices’ wages and incremental pay increases as apprentices progress; district costs for mentor stipends and salary increments vary. Presenters acknowledged funding remains a practical barrier and that some financial items, including long-term sustainable funding and retirement/benefit interactions, will require further work and possible statutory or regulatory change.

Questions from committee members covered enrollment, placement and credentials. Tanya Doucet gave a demographic snapshot including program enrollment by tier and said the average age of apprentices in the cohort is 38. Committee members asked whether prior college credits can be applied; university speakers said they are reviewing transcripts, syllabi and prior learning so apprentices do not have to start over when prior coursework should count toward degree requirements.

Next steps: DEED said it is developing district webinars to guide applications, improving mentor training in partnership with the Alaska State Mentorship Project, pursuing additional district sponsorships, and planning a pilot for a principal registered-apprenticeship pathway. Presenters described longer-term aims to expand dual-enrollment and pre-apprenticeship opportunities for high-school students.

No committee action or vote was taken; the session was a staff briefing and Q&A. Committee co-chairs closed the meeting after questions and invited members to submit follow-up queries by email.

Ending: Presenters asked committee members to note that pilots are ongoing and that the sponsors and universities will continue to collect and report data to the U.S. Department of Labor and to DEED. DEED and sponsor organizations said they will return to provide updates as pilots mature and as additional districts join sponsorships.