A proven, bipartisan solution to the teacher shortage is working in 47 states—but Wisconsin’s pilot program has failed to produce results
Delafield, Wis. – The Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) released a new report on Thursday detailing Wisconsin’s lack of progress on an effective solution to the teacher shortage: teacher apprenticeships. While other states across the country have begun to reap the benefits of teacher apprenticeships, Wisconsin’s pilot program remains too small to have significant impact.
WHY IT MATTERS:
Wisconsin’s teacher shortage has reached a crisis level. Rural districts are giving local jobs to out-of-state virtual providers. Urban schools are recruiting overseas. Suburban schools are receiving fewer qualified applicants. Choice schools are closing their doors.
A bipartisan solution exists: teacher apprenticeships, but Wisconsin’s pilot program has failed to produce results due to its size and scope. These programs combine paid, in-classroom experience with a bachelor’s degree, resulting in graduates that are ready for whatever the classroom throws at them and have less debt to boot. While 47 states have embraced the model, Wisconsin’s pilot program remains too small to meet demand or have meaningful impact, leaving Wisconsin schools and future educators without a tool to shrink the teacher shortage faster and more effectively.
THE QUOTE:
“States across the nation, red and blue, are solving their educator shortages with teacher apprenticeships. But Wisconsin remains far behind due to a failing pilot program, and it hurts our students, schools, and future educators,” said Quinton Klabon, IRG Senior Research Director. “Wisconsin can and should grow its own teacher workforce: solving shortages for schools, lowering costs for teachers, and improving outcomes for kids.”
