Gov. Reynolds announces award winners for Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program
Riverside joined with AHSTW in a Southwest Iowa Consortium in collaboration in submitting this grant. Riverside staff will benefit from this funding!! More information to come!! #WeRRiverside
DES MOINES — Today (Thursday), Governor Kim Reynolds announced the 19 recipient schools of the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Grant Program, which she unveiled during her Condition of the State Address in January. Included among them is: the AHSTW District**, which is receiving over $1.656-million dollars; Council Bluffs District ($709,879), and the Winterset District*** ($561,726).
The Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program grants will serve more than 1,000 paraeducators and students in 134 schools ultimately creating over 500 new paraeducators and 500 new teachers. Of these, 110 recipients are creating the first-ever registered apprenticeship programs in their schools. A total of $45.6 million will be granted towards the program. The full list of award winners can be found here. The grant program will provide opportunities for current high school students and adults to earn a paraeducator certificate and associates degree and paraeducators to earn their bachelor’s degree all while learning and working in the classroom. The program will begin this fall during the 2022-2023 school year. To learn more about the pilot program, visit here.
Governor Reynolds says “The overwhelming response we received for this grant opportunity has been truly remarkable and is evident of the great interest and passion that lies within our students and paraeducators to jumpstart their careers in education. Through valuable partnerships, this program makes post-secondary educational opportunities available at the fingertips of high school students before graduating high school. And, we’re not done yet–this pilot program is just the beginning of what we hope will expand across the state.”
Iowa Dept. of Education Director Ann Lebo said “Growing our teacher and paraeducator talent pipeline helps ensure Iowa students have access to a world-class education today and into the future. I commend these school districts and postsecondary partners for their innovative plans to start registered apprenticeships that will inspire and support the next generation of educators in Iowa communities.”
Funding is made available through the American Rescue Plan Act.
**The AHSTW District includes: Atlantic/Central Decatur/Clarinda/East Mills/Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton/ Fremont-Mills/Glenwood/Griswold/Harlan/IKM-Manning/Lamoni/Lenox/Logan-Magnolia/Missouri Valley/Riverside/Sidney/South Page/Stanton/ Treynor/Tri-Center/Woodbine.
***The Winterset District includes: Van Meter/Creston/Interstate 35.