South Dakota teaching apprenticeship cohorts to expand

The state Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway has both increased its cohort size and endowed about 50 new teachers. Advocates say in a state with a noted teacher shortage, it represents steps toward closing the gap for educators.

The pathway gives qualified and interested paraprofessionals the opportunity to advance their careers and become fully fledged teachers.

For Kathryn Blaha, state Department of Education Division of Accreditation director, it does make a difference in the lives of those involved, and the communities they serve.

“As I listen to people who have been accepted into the program and hear their stories, it’s an opportunity for them to make a difference at a different level in the classroom, but it’s also making a significant impact on the communities that they’re living in and the financial changes for their own personal children,” Blaha said.

These cohorts are expanding to provide more opportunities on the back of support from the governor.

“We’ve had state support for additional funding for the program,” Blaha said. “It really is a program that allows individuals who otherwise may not have had an opportunity to seek a position as a teacher in a classroom to gain the experience and training to do so.”

As a result, Blaha said the new cohort will have over 70 positions. That’s the largest group since the inception of the program in 2023.

“It’s been a tremendous program,” Blaha said. “We have 118 that have graduated as of the spring and summer 2026 graduation ceremonies. We’re really to the impact and the differences those individuals will make.”

The program is run through Northern State University and takes an average of two years to complete.