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Maricopa Unified outlines state-registered teacher-apprenticeship aimed at growing local educators
Summary
Maricopa Unified presented an information item on an Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship (AZTRAP) with Central Arizona College that would hire paid apprentices who earn a degree and Arizona K–8 certification; the district proposed two FTE for 2026–27 and said grant funding from ADE is anticipated.
Maricopa Unified School District staff outlined a new teacher-apprenticeship program on July 8 designed to recruit and train educators in critical-shortage subjects while avoiding student debt for participants.
Dr. Tracy Pastor, human-resources director, told the board that the district has been approved by the Arizona Department of Education to launch a program under AZTRAP in partnership with Central Arizona College. “Apprentices earn while they learn,” Pastor said, describing a model that pairs full-time paid on-the-job training with college coursework leading to a bachelor’s degree and a full Arizona K–8 teaching certificate.
Pastor said the program will be selective and small to start: the proposal for FY 2026–27 requests two full-time-equivalent positions so the district can build the program deliberately. Staff described the per-apprentice funding model at $10,000 each: roughly $3,000 for Central Arizona College tuition and materials, a stipend for the mentor teacher (called a “journey worker”), and an apprentice allowance for expenses such as mileage, childcare and work attire.
Pastor emphasized the program was intended for current classified staff and paraprofessionals who are already working toward degrees; she told the board the grant that would cover coursework and program costs was anticipated to be finalized by ADE in the coming week and that an intergovernmental agreement with ADE and Central Arizona College would be returned to the board for approval.
Recruitment will begin immediately after board approval of the personnel schedule and job descriptions; Pastor said job postings will be placed and that quarterly check-ins will be required for each apprentice, journey worker and principal. Board members asked about posting and candidate outreach; Pastor said postings will be published and noted paraprofessionals and current CAC students as likely candidates.
