The Perry Community School District was recently awarded a $745,557 grant in the new Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program, which it will run in collaboration with DMACC’s VanKirk Career Academy in Perry.
More than $45 million in competitive grants were awarded to 19 school districts in Iowa, including the PCSD, through the state’s allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The aim of the funding is to grow Iowa’s supply of talented teachers and expand registered apprenticeships in schools across the state.
The program will serve more than 1,000 paraeducators and students in 134 Iowa schools, ultimately creating more than 500 new paraeducators and 500 new teachers.
Clark Wicks, PCSD superintendent, said the apprenticeship grant “will allow us to help more paraeducators enter the profession and help our current paras grow in the profession with minimal cost, good mentorship and a strong connection to our community. Our goal is that several will eventually become Perry teachers.”
The innovative apprenticeship program will provide opportunities for current high school students and adults to earn a paraeducator certificate and an associate’s degree — all while working in the classroom as a paraeducator and taking courses towards their education degree t DMACC.
The apprentices will take many of their courses at the VanKirk Academy, some fully online classes and others in hybrid formats.
“DMACC’s strong pre-education program, close relationship with the University of Northern Iowa teaching program, and the VanKirk academy’s presence near student’s homes will help many students reach their goal of advancing their careers” said Eddie Diaz, DMACC VanKirk Academy director.
Diaz said the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program will enhance the Future Ready Perry program, which has three career pathways in health, trades and education for high school students.
Connie Saenz, Future Ready Perry coordinator, said, “There are several juniors and seniors who will be able to take advantage and get a head start on education at no cost to them by starting college classes while in high school, earning money and completing an associate’s at DMACC before pursuing a teaching degree.”
The apprenticeship program emerged from recommendations from the Task Force on Growing a Diverse K-12 Teacher Base, which the Iowa Legislature called for during the 2021 session. The task force examined potential barriers to entering the teaching profession, with an emphasis on people underrepresented in the teaching force, and it submitted its final report to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa General Assembly last December.
Recipients of the federal funds will regularly report their progress throughout the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. Perry’s current paraeducators will receive program applications via email. Applicants not currently employed at Perry schools can apply to the program if they are hired as a paraeducator. Openings for current paraeducator positions can be found on the Iowa Department of Education website.
