DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Recruiting and retaining teachers has been an ongoing challenge for several school districts across Central Florida.

A new program at Daytona State College is aiming to help districts have a bigger pool of applicants by offering qualified school employees a pathway to a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate.

Daytona State College is launching a new Teacher Apprenticeship Program in Fall 2024 that will allow select school district employees across Volusia, Flagler and Brevard counties to pursue a career in teaching while maintaining their current full-time positions.

Upon the completion of an Associate of Arts degree, participants can enroll in the two-year, state-approved bachelor’s program, which offers a path to acquire a Florida professional teaching certificate. 

“We were really excited when the state released the information about the apprenticeship program, and we have a great partnership with Daytona State," said Tiffany Fuller, the coordinator for Recruitment and Retention at Volusia County Schools. "And so, we've been working throughout the year to put all the pieces together so that the program can launch in the fall."

The program is for select school district employees in Volusia, Flagler, and Brevard counties, including paraprofessionals, support staff, and similar roles, who have already attained an Associate of Arts degree. Candidates for the program will be selected by each school district.

The “Grow Your Own Teacher Apprenticeship Program” is a collaboration between Daytona State College and local school districts, and emphasizes a district-led approach in candidate selection. By tapping into talent pool within their existing workforce, school districts have the opportunity to cultivate their own educators, ensuring a seamless transition into the teaching profession.

Students are required to pass the Florida Teacher Certification Exams to qualify for a Florida professional teaching certificate.

Those interested can participate in the program while maintaining full-time employment and receiving their regular compensation, allowing them to balance between work, personal commitments, and academic pursuits. Graduates will obtain either a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education or a Bachelor of Science in Exceptional Student Education, depending on their chosen degree path. The program is offered at no cost to participants.

The program is supported through a $5 million statewide Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant from the Florida Department of Education. In order to qualify, a participant must be an existing Brevard, Flagler or Volusia district employee, and have an Associate of Arts degree with at least a 3.0 GPA in that degree program.

Fuller said they already have more than 100 candidates who have expressed interest in the program.

“We’re really excited for, what this gives our employees is an opportunity to enhance and advance their careers,” she said. “And then it’s going to put persons that are already invested in care about being with kids and teaching kids. It’s going to give them another opportunity to advance their careers and pour back as classroom teachers compared it to the other roles they’ve already served.”

This program will begin in Fall 2024 and will combine a mix of fully online courses at Daytona State with shadowing experiences alongside a mentor teacher. 

School district employees interested in participating should contact their Human Resources office for application details.