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  • Teacher Apprenticeship

    PPSD is excited to launch our Grow Your Own - Teacher Apprenticeship program! We are offering a teacher pathway program for PPSD Teacher Assistants to earn their Bachelor's Degree or Post Baccalaureate Teaching Certificate for FREE while working as a full-time TA. 

    Earn while you learn! While working as a TA, you will work with a mentor teacher, take college courses and work toward completing your teacher certification. Programs start in Fall 2024 and will be completed by December 2025 for Post Bacc Programs or June 2026 for Bacehlor's Programs.

  • Program Offerings

    BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM
    Special Education (Elementary, Middle, and/or High)
    Lake Erie College

    POST BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS
    Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education
    Rhode Island College

    Secondary Mathematics
    Providence College

  • We are currently accepting applications for the 2024-2026 cohort. SPACE IS LIMITED so apply today!

  • Why become a teacher apprentice?

    Here are some of the benefits you can expect as an apprentice:

    • Learn about the grade level or subject you want to teach in 
    • Hands-on teaching with experienced teachers
    • Work toward RI teacher certification during your apprenticeship 
    • Attend programs at partner colleges
    • Build relationships with teacher mentors
    • Complete your education and certification without debt
    • Gain experience for an easy transition from apprentice to certified teacher 
    • Leave your teacher residency career-ready

  •  ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 

    To be eligible to participate in the program you must: 
     
    1. Be a current PPSD employee and have worked for the District for a minimum of twelve (12) months. 
    2. Have a minimum of an Associates Degree (for the Bachelor's Degree pathway) or a Bachelor's Degree (for the graduate certificate pathway - Secondary Math requires a degree in math or 30 math credits).
    3. Complete the GYO Scholarship Program application and adhere to the application deadlines indicated on the application. 
    4. Applications include a résumé, official transcripts, and three (3) professional references, one of which must be your building principal.

  • PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS 

    Those who are accepted into the GYO scholarship program must agree to abide by all the requirements of the scholarship program, including but not limited to: 
     
    1. Complete a teacher education degree within two years or less. 
    2. Participate in all program activities and communications with the understanding that participants may be removed from the program for non-participation. 
    3. Maintain a 3.00 overall each semester and a 3.00 cumulative GPA. 
    4. Take all the required coursework to be certified in his/her field of licensure. 
    5. Teach for the district for a minimum of two (2) years after receiving licensure if offered a position. 
    6. Repay all costs to the District if the program is not completed and/or two (2) years of fully licensed teaching is not completed. 
    7. Understand that the participant is ineligible for 1033 union tuition reimbursement for coursework taken while under the GYO contract.
    8. The participant will have any foreign transcripts translated course-by-course with American equivalencies by a Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) approved provider. The cost for translation is the responsibility of the participant.