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State education official outlines teacher pipeline gains, apprenticeships and grants
Summary
Dr. Rebecca Estus briefed the board on recruitment and retention efforts: state data cited ~65,000 teachers, ~1,400 posted vacancies, over 29,000 licenses issued this year, targeted certification programs and a $10.6M grant awarded to support educator pathways across 27 counties.
Dr. Rebecca Estus, assistant secretary for educator talent, told the State Board of Education that the department is focusing on attracting, preparing and retaining teachers through targeted programs, apprenticeships and grants.
Estus said the state has "more than 65,000 teachers at over 2,200 schools" and that there are "approximately 1,400 teaching vacancies currently posted on the statewide job board." She reported that over 29,000 licenses had been issued so far this year and highlighted three targeted programs: IAL (a successful initiative supporting special education certification), an English‑learner add‑on program, and ISTEM for STEM certification and recruitment in rural districts.
Estus described the Attract‑Prepare‑Retain grant awarded in 2022: "over $10.6 million was given to schools, higher education institutions and professional organizations across 27 Indiana counties" to support educator pathways; she said those grants helped more than 3,000 high‑school students participate in educator pathways and supported mentorship and compensation for beginning teachers.
She also noted a first registered apprenticeship signing for early childhood that brought roughly 65 students to the State House, and framed apprenticeships as a promising route for students to earn credentials while in high school.
Kathy Nimmer, a former Indiana Teacher of the Year, shared how local SEEDS funding was used to support new teachers in her district, including purchasing classroom supplies, translators for multilingual students and assistive devices for students with low vision. Nimmer said her district used approximately $250,000 from awards to send teachers to national conferences, create a free supply store and provide starter kits for new teachers.
Board members thanked presenters and emphasized leadership and supports that keep teachers in classrooms; no binding policy changes were announced at the meeting.
