The Registered Teaching Apprenticeship Program (RTAP) is transforming how we build Rhode Island’s educator workforce. RTAP launched in classrooms at the start of the 25/26 school year, welcoming its inaugural cohort of four paraprofessionals in the Central Falls and East Providence School Districts. Today, we are celebrating expansion to 14 apprentices, the addition of the Pawtucket School District, and continued growth.

The Partners

Developed through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Building America Grant, and with Congressional support from senior U.S. Senator Jack Reed, RTAP represents a collective partnership with Building Futures, the Institute of Labor Studies and Research, Rhode Island College, and collaboration and support from RIFTHP, NEARI, and AFSCME Council 94.

RTAP Overview

RTAP is responding to Rhode Island’s persistent educator shortages by establishing a durable, community-centered pathway to the teaching profession. Apprentices remain employed as paraprofessionals while completing post-baccalaureate educator preparation at Rhode Island College. This earn-while-you-learn employment opportunity, rooted in authentic school contexts, allows districts to meet immediate staffing needs while intentionally cultivating future certified teachers embedded in school communities.

A hallmark of the program is its collaborative labor–management framework. School districts and collective bargaining units work together to design structured wage progression systems that reward apprentices as they demonstrate competency and meet program milestones. This innovative approach affirms professional growth, creates financial incentives tied to development, and reinforces teaching as a respected and sustainable career pathway.

Paraprofessionals are a tremendous asset to students and school communities, often deeply experienced, community-based, and culturally attuned to the students they serve. Paraprofessionals bring institutional knowledge and commitment that traditional recruitment pipelines cannot replicate.

Learn more about RTAP:

Fatima Martin, Director – RTAP | RI Institute for Labor Studies & Research | 401-463-900 ext. 103 | [email protected]

Jay Midwood, Director RTAP | RI College Feinstein School of Education and Human Development | 401-456-8877 | [email protected]

Addresses Teacher Shortages

Invests in Community Talent

Reduces Turnover Costs

Builds an Educator Workforce