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State details apprenticeship pathway, visa use and recruitment steps to address teacher shortage
Summary
Department and board officials described a multi-pronged approach to teacher recruitment and retention, including district-sponsored teacher apprenticeship programs, support for paraprofessionals, international teacher recruitment using J-1 and H-1 visa pathways, and plans to implement incentives for National Board certification pending funding.
Department and board officials told the joint education committees on March 10 that Alaska is pursuing several strategies to address long-term teacher shortages, with an emphasis on growing in-state pipelines.
Commissioner Dina Bishop and Board Chair James Fields described an apprenticeship model (teacher registered apprentice program) that partners districts, universities and the department to help paraprofessionals and teacher aides move to full certification while remaining in their communities. Bishop said the program is intended to serve residents already working in schools and noted the department provides organizational and administrative support while universities provide coursework and districts sponsor apprentices.
Committee members asked for expected yields. The department described initial cohorts and estimated that the apprenticeship and related partnerships could move roughly 45–60 individuals toward certification in a coordinated first year across multiple programs, with about 15 in the department’s initial program. Officials said they expect to grow capacity as interest and district sponsorship increase.
On international recruitment, officials acknowledged use of J‑1 exchange visitor teachers in some districts and said the department is exploring H‑1 (or similar) pathways that could support longer-term hires who may obtain legal residency. The department said bringing teachers on J‑1 visas is commonly expensive for districts and J‑1 placements tend to be short duration; the department is contracting with a vendor (AXA) to support the statewide J‑1 program and will report quotas and contract details back to the committee on request.
Senator Bjorkman and others asked about incentive pay for National Board certification created in recent legislation. Commissioner Bishop said regulations are under development and public comments have been received; however, the funding to pay those incentives was not included in the governor’s budget and the department is awaiting legislative action to fund the payments. The board is scheduled to continue regulatory work to implement the statutory provisions once funding is provided.
Committee members raised concerns about high statewide vacancies (commonly cited around 600 teachers) and special education shortages; the department said it would return specific vacancy breakdowns on request.
