DE HB138

Establishes a Delaware Educator Apprenticeship Program jointly administered by the Department of Education and Department of Labor to place aspiring teachers in paid positions in schools while they complete teacher certification requirements.

Defines eligible applicants as school districts, public schools, charter schools, and institutes of higher education, either independently or as consortia, with selection based on commitment to teacher recruitment pipelines, partnerships, workforce diversity, competitive wages, and mentor teacher programs.

Directs the Department of Education to explore including technical assistance, national credentials, tax credits, federal and state funding, and additional recruitment incentives in program design.

Launches a pilot program for the 2023-2024 school year with 1 institute of higher education and 1 school district or charter school, with expansion in 2024-2025 and beyond based on interest and funding availability.

Authorizes the Department of Education to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the program as a low-cost pathway to address Delaware's educator shortage while complementing existing Grow Your Own Educator and teacher residency programs.