A Toolkit for Developing, Launching and Sustaining Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) in PK12 Teaching in California
California continues to face persistent teacher shortages driven largely by high attrition and declining enrollment in educator preparation programs. Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) in teaching offer a promising, “earn-and-learn” approach to strengthening the educator pipeline while reducing the financial barriers to entering the profession.
In 2023, the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency convened a statewide, cross-sector Working Group to design and scale PK–12 teacher apprenticeships aligned to California’s credentialing and labor requirements. The group established a shared vision for layering apprenticeship into existing teacher preparation pathways—including residencies, traditional and integrated undergraduate programs, and intern pathways—rather than creating a parallel system.
Earning by Learning: A Toolkit for Developing, Launching and Sustaining Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) in PK12 Teaching in California supports this vision by equipping school districts, county offices of education, educator preparation programs, labor partners, and other stakeholders with practical guidance to design, register, and implement high-quality Registered Apprenticeship Programs in teaching. Together, the resources on this page are intended to support consistent, high-quality implementation and will be updated periodically as policy and practice continue to evolve.
Resources on This Page
This page includes three complementary resources to support the design, launch, and continuous improvement of PK–12 Registered Apprenticeship Programs in teaching in California:
- Earning by Learning Toolkit
A comprehensive, step-by-step guide for designing and implementing PK–12 teacher Registered Apprenticeship Programs. The toolkit includes guiding principles for program quality, design frameworks, planning tools and templates, and examples aligned to California’s credentialing and apprenticeship requirements.
- Earning by Learning Toolkit Addenda (Fall 2025)
A companion resource that provides updated and supplemental guidance as policies, funding, and implementation practices evolve. The Addenda includes updated FAQs; clarifications related to sponsorship, wages, RSI, and tuition; an overview of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards registration process; updated agency contacts; and an overview of current state funding sources.
- Growing California’s Own: How Two Communities Are Reimagining Teacher Preparation Through Apprenticeship
A case study documenting how Santa Clara County Office of Education and Tulare County Office of Education designed and launched California’s first PK–12 certificated teacher Registered Apprenticeship Programs by layering apprenticeship onto existing residency pathways. The case study highlights partnership structures, design decisions, lessons learned, and early insights to inform other regions considering similar models.
