Kansas apprenticeships for teachers expand rapidly; state officials outline funding and growth plans

Kansas Department of Education staff updated the State Board of Education on June 11 on a fast‑growing Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP), describing program design, enrollment increases, funding sources, and planned expansions.

Shane Carter, KSD teacher licensure consultant, told the board the program grew from a small pilot — 14 apprentices in six districts — to a statewide model. For the fall 2025 cohort he reported 167 new apprentices and 151 returning apprentices across 73 school districts, and said 5 apprentices are expected to complete licensure requirements over the summer with a projection of 40–50 graduates the following spring.

How the program works: RTAP is a competency‑based apprenticeship registered with the Kansas Apprenticeship Council and approved under the state apprenticeship framework. Apprentices obtain paid on‑the‑job training, progressive wages, mentored classroom experience, and related technical instruction (college coursework). Apprentices must complete at least one year of supervised service; mentors are paid a stipend and may mentor up to two apprentices.

Funding and grants: Carter described several funding streams used to support RTAP. The federal LEAP/“LARC” (Leading Apprenticeship Results in Kansas) grant initially provided roughly $3 million to KSD; the state legislature created the Kansas Apprenticeship Tax Grant (KTAG) program, allocating $3 million per year to support teacher apprenticeships (a portion flows via the Department of Commerce). The KTAG funding is limited to $2,750 per apprentice per year and can support roughly 90 apprentices annually at full drawdown; Carter said the department expects to begin drawing those funds this year. Statewide workforce boards and other grants (e.g., adult learner grants, Promise Grant, teacher service scholarships) are also used to cover tuition, books, materials and mentor stipends. Meadowlark (LARC) grant funds have supported earlier cohorts but are being exhausted.

Current supports and costs: Returning apprentices were described as eligible for roughly $6,500 in supports next school year (tuition/books/mentor stipend), and new apprentices will receive smaller mentor stipends initially. The mentor stipend was described as $1,500 per mentor per year (broken into semester payments); mentor teachers can take up to two apprentices.

Planned expansions and policy changes: Carter described proposed expansions: (1) an option to include individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree (currently RTAP targets those without bachelor’s degrees), (2) a youth apprenticeship pathway to recruit high school juniors and seniors through approved teacher learning pathways and dual‑credit coursework, and (3) tighter alignment with grow‑your‑own programs and other nontraditional routes. He said Fort Hays State University and others are coordinating programs that could integrate with RTAP, and that workforce boards are partners for tuition support.

Vacancies and target areas: Carter urged focus on Board District 5 because of a persistent concentration of vacancies and argued that grow‑your‑own strategies could help target recruitment where needs are greatest.

Board response and next steps: Several board members praised the rapid growth and urged continued outreach to districts — especially larger urban districts that have been slower to participate. Members asked for outreach materials (one‑pagers and flyers) to help local boards and interested candidates understand how to participate and how funding and eligibility work. Carter said KSDE will prepare district‑level funding breakdowns and detailed cohort reports for the board and will continue to coordinate with workforce boards and Department of Commerce on funding draws.

Why it matters: The RTAP expansion is intended to address teacher shortages through localized, employer‑driven training and mentoring, and could alter how districts recruit and staff classrooms if scaled further.