TALLAHASSEE – Broward College and Miami Dade College are among four schools in Florida receiving additional funding to create pathways for aspiring educators.
On Tuesday, Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., announced the awarding of $5 million through the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grow Your Own Teacher Grant to expand Florida’s teacher apprenticeship program and strengthen the teacher pipeline.
Seven institutions throughout the state will receive these funds to enhance or create no-cost teacher apprenticeship programs.
The Broward and Miami-Dade schools, along with Florida A&M University and Seminole State College, will receive an additional $4,348,921 in funding to enhance their 2023-2024 allocations and further advance their teacher apprenticeship programs.
Also, three new institutions will be awarded grants totalling $1,095,373: St. Petersburg College, Polk State College and Tallahassee State College.
In 2023, DeSantis established Teacher Apprenticeship Program through HB 1035. The legislation approved $1.05 billion for teacher pay.
The pathways program seeks applicants from high schools, charter centers, charter technical career centers, Florida College System institution and other entities authorized to sponsor an apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs.
In December, DeSantis awarded $5 million to expand opportunities for teacher apprenticeships in Florida. In the release at the time, it said the pathway is for more than 200 teachers per year to become credentialed and enter the teaching profession.
