House committee hears support for $3 million teacher apprenticeship funding bill

House Education Committee members heard more than an hour of testimony Feb. 10 in support of House Bill 2,588, which would appropriate $3,000,000 from the general fund to the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission for the Oregon Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

Rep. Lisa Bridal, who identified herself as the state representative for House District 8, told the committee the funding "is a critical step towards continued growth of the Oregon registered teacher and teaching apprenticeship program." She described apprenticeship as a workforce strategy that removes financial barriers for prospective teachers and helps diversify the teacher workforce.

Committee members and education partners said the program allows candidates to work and earn a salary while completing clinical requirements and university coursework. "These two apprentices finished the program while having uninterrupted income, health care benefits, extended clinical experience with skilled mentors from day one, and received financial assistance for university tuition," said Dr. Kim Baer, who described her role as talent recruitment and retention teacher on…