South Dakota Teacher Apprenticeship Program Moves 71 Paraprofessionals Into Fourth Cohort

South Dakota’s fourth Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway cohort includes 71 paraprofessionals from 50 school districts who will pursue education degrees while continuing to work in local schools.

The selected participants completed an orientation in Pierre on July 15, 2026. University classes are scheduled to begin in fall 2026, and grant funding for the cohort is set to end in May 2028.

A degree path for current school employees

The program is designed for paraprofessionals, including teacher aides and educational assistants, who are employed by accredited South Dakota school systems. Participants can pursue bachelor’s degrees in elementary education or special education through Dakota State University, or secondary education through Northern State University.

Coursework is offered virtually during evenings or other convenient times, allowing apprentices to remain employed as paraprofessionals while studying. They continue to be compensated at rates determined by their school districts until they begin student teaching.

The pathway is intended to lead toward a teaching certificate, but certification is not automatic. Participants must complete the required degree coursework, student teaching, assessments and other applicable state certification requirements.

State investment expanded the cohort

The fourth cohort was initially planned for up to 40 participants. A May 11 announcement from Gov. Larry Rhoden’s administration said a $500,000 Future Fund investment added 31 positions, bringing the cohort’s capacity to 71.

The state announcement also reported that 50 participants earned diplomas from Dakota State and Northern State on May 9, bringing the program’s reported total to 118 teachers. That is an official program figure, not an independent measure of statewide teacher vacancies or turnover.

The program is a partnership among the South Dakota Department of Education, Department of Labor and Regulation, Dakota State University, Northern State University, the South Dakota Board of Regents and participating local school districts.

What participants and districts must pay

Participants are responsible for $1,000 per year to assist with tuition. They also must cover required books and state-designated assessments, such as the Praxis examination. Participants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, although eligibility for the pathway is not based on the FAFSA award; qualifying grants may be applied toward education costs.

School districts have separate obligations. Each district must identify a certified local primary mentor and contribute $1,000 per year for each participant to help support mentor services. Districts also must provide a laptop or similar technology if an apprentice needs one.

Those district contributions are separate from participant expenses and from the state grant funding supporting the fourth cohort.

The path changes during student teaching

Participants remain employed and compensated as paraprofessionals until the beginning of their student-teaching period. At that point, they cannot continue their regular paraprofessional duties while completing student-teaching requirements.

Completing the pathway does not require a district to hire or retain an apprentice as a certified teacher after student teaching. The program therefore creates a route toward a degree and certification, but not a guaranteed teaching position in the participant’s district.

Participants who need more than the planned two years to finish may be responsible for additional education-related costs because grant funding for Cohort 4 ends in May 2028.

Applications are closed

The application deadline for the fourth cohort was April 15, 2026, and selection notifications were scheduled for June 15 through June 19. The July orientation and fall class start are implementation milestones for selected apprentices, not a new enrollment period.

For the participating South Dakota school employees, the immediate next step is beginning university coursework while continuing school-based work. The longer-term measure will be how many complete the degree and certification requirements and how many move into certified teaching positions in their communities.

Sources

• South Dakota Department of Education: SD Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway
• South Dakota governor's office: Additional Teacher Apprenticeships
• DRGNews: Fourth cohort begins South Dakota Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway Program

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