Lisa Giles at WWTV/WWUP-TV 9&10 News reports from LANSING that Michigan Officials have launched a new Statewide initiative offering Registered Apprenticeship opportunities for School Paraprofessionals, Instructional Assistants and Substitute Teachers to become fully certified Special Education Teachers. The Michigan Apprenticeship Pathways for Special Education is supported by a five-year U.S. Department of Education award totaling just over $1 million. The initiative establishes an earn-and-learn pathway designed to address Michigan’s ongoing shortage of certified Special Ed Teachers. It operates as a joint partnership between the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the Michigan Department of Education, Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential, Alma College, and the AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute. Under the initiative, participants will remain employed with their local School Districts while completing their Bachelor’s Degrees and certification requirements. Registered Apprentices will fulfill 576 hours of related instruction and 8,000 hours of supervised, paid on-the-job training alongside certified Special Ed Teachers. The initiative removes out-of-pocket costs for participants while allowing them to maintain their current wages and benefits. 

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