Seminole State College is one of seven institutions that has received funding from the Florida Department of Education to expand its teacher apprenticeship program.
The $5 million in funding that will be shared between the schools has the goal of alleviating a statewide teacher shortage, especially in high-demand teaching areas like special education, math and English.
At Seminole State College, the apprenticeship program trains paraprofessionals to become elementary school special ed teachers within two years, said Loretta Ovueraye, Vice President of Academic Affairs.
“The funds will be to support them with this experience, so they will get tutoring support to pass all their exams. They will get mentor teachers in the school system so they will be supported to enable them to do everything that they need to get their Florida teacher certification,” said Ovueraye.
Ovueraye said their program is in its first year, and will graduate four elementary school special ed teachers in the first cohort.
The focus is special education, as this is the area of greatest need in Seminole County Schools, and throughout the state.
“We're a community college, and we try to serve our community and meet them at their point of need. We decided to zero in on that to fill in that gap,” said Ovueraye.
Along with Seminole State College, FAMU, Broward College, Miami Dade College, St. Petersburg College, Polk State College, and Tallahassee State College will receive funding for their teacher apprenticeship programs from the state.
Governor Ron DeSantis formally established the state’s teacher apprenticeship program in 2023, when he signed HB 1035 into law.
The program, according to the bill, provides “an alternative pathway for individuals to enter the teaching profession, and authorizes a five-year temporary apprenticeship certificate.”
The law also made it easier for veterans and first responders to become teachers in the state.
In Central Florida, Valencia College and Daytona State College have also announced programs that would make it easier for paraprofessionals to get their bachelors in education.
According to the Florida Department of Education, Florida experienced a 13% drop in teacher vacancies this year, compared with last.
Still, the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, found nearly 10,000 teacher and staff vacancies when it surveyed job openings in August.
