Committee holds bill to clarify teacher apprenticeship law; lawmakers seek more stakeholder work

Senate Bill 1098, sponsored by Senator Carrie Semmelroth, would create a separate code section clarifying definitions and standards for teacher apprenticeships and align Idaho law with U.S. Department of Labor and national apprenticeship guidelines. After an extended committee discussion focused on whether completion of an apprenticeship should require a bachelor’s degree and how credits would transfer, the Senate Education Committee voted to hold the bill subject to call of the chair for further stakeholder work.

Semmelroth described the bill as a “Back to the Future” cleanup: it would add a new section (identified in committee as 33‑12‑003a) that defines mentor teacher and teacher apprentice, clarifies that an apprenticeship must conform to Department of Labor standards, and reverts prior code changes so the teacher apprenticeship is codified in a separate section. "We are bringing the code back to the way it was before," she said, adding the bill is intended to set up a work group this summer with P‑12, higher education, the Department of Labor and other stakeholders to design a statewide apprenticeship program.

Committee members pressed for details on degree requirements and portability. Matthew Reiber of the State Board of Education said the state board had not taken a position on the legislation and that the apprenticeship program as it currently stands does not require a bachelor’s degree to be an apprentice. Semmelroth and other senators said the intent is for the apprenticeship to lead to both a certificate and a bachelor’s degree so that certification would be portable across districts and states. "We want highly skilled teachers who have standard teaching certificates that are transferrable any place in Idaho or the entire country," Senator Ward Engelking said.

Opponents and skeptics questioned whether requiring a bachelor’s degree to complete an apprenticeship would worsen teacher shortages. Senator Nichols said he feared the committee was “putting the cart before the horse” and asked whether the bill would add to shortages. Semmelroth and other proponents disputed that framing, saying Idaho’s core problem is teacher retention rather than recruitment and that a robust apprenticeship model with sustained mentorship can improve retention.

Senator Woodward moved to hold SB 1098 subject to call of the chair; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Committee members asked that a stakeholder work group meet this summer and that planning be in place by February 1, 2026, if districts wish to pursue apprenticeship programs.

The committee’s action puts SB 1098 on hold while legislators and education stakeholders finalize program structure, transferability of credits and alignment with higher‑education partners.