| Youth Apprenticeship is a structured, work-based learning program designed to start when apprentices are in high school. High-quality youth apprenticeship programs are built on partnerships that include employers, high schools, and providers of postsecondary education, most often a community college. For more see New America's [Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship](https://s3.amazonaws.com/newamericadotorg/documents/PAYA_11x17_v6b-pages3.pdf) |
2+2 programs allow teacher candidates to attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year college/university. These programs help reduce the cost of higher education and increase access for non-traditional students and first-generation college students. For more information see [this article](https://www.communitycollegereview.com/blog/2-2-programs-going-strong-at-community-colleges-nationwide) in the Community College Review. |
| [Career and Technical Education](https://www.careertech.org/perkins) offer a sequence of courses that provides individuals with rigorous academic content and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current or emerging professions. Education and training programs offer students with exposure to careers in education through coursework, internships, and in some cases can lead to a certification such as a CDA or paraeducator. For more see Advance CTE's [Training Sample Plan of Study](https://cte.careertech.org/sites/default/files/PlanPathways-CareerCluster-ED-TeachTraining.pdf) |
Alternative Route programs provide accelerated pathways to teacher certification for individuals with a bachelor's degree. These programs can be offered by educator preparation programs at institutes of higher education, for-profit providers, and more. For more information see the ECS brief [Mitigating Teacher Shortages: Alternative Teacher Certification](https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Mitigating-Teacher-Shortages-Alternative-Certification.pdf). |
| Dual Enrollment allows students to take and earn credit for college courses while still in high school. For more information see [this explainer from](https://blog.ed.gov/2019/07/burning-questions-dual-enrollment-answered/) the US Department of Education. |
Career Ladder models are usually offered by school districts as a way to assist Paraeducators move up the career ladder and earn their teacher certification. These programs employ varying designs, but usually include financial assistance. For an example see the [Career Ladder](https://www.lausd.org/Page/9472) programs offered by Los Angeles Unified Public Schools. |
| Early College programs are co-led by school districts and institutes of higher education to offer high school students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree or up to 60 hours of college credit. For more about these programs see the American Institutes for Research's project [Evaluating the Impact of Early College High Schools](https://www.air.org/project/evaluating-impact-early-college-high-schools). |
Cohort Models provide prospective teachers with the opportunity to matriculate through a teacher preparation with a group of peers that can provide an added layer of support. For more on cohort models see the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment report [Learning Together: A Study of Six B.A. Completion Cohort Programs in ECE](https://cscce.berkeley.edu/learning-together-a-study-of-six-b-a-completion-cohort-programs-in-ece-year-4-report/). |
| Educators Rising is a national career and technical student organization that provides high school and middle students with exposure to careers in education. The program is linked to state/district Career and Technical Education programs but is also offered as an extracurricular program. For more see [Educators Rising](https://educatorsrising.org/). |
Conditional Loans are a form of financial assistance provided to help cover the cost of college tuition while earning a degree. These loans come with the expectation that the recipient will teach in the district or state for a specified number of years. If the recipient fails to fulfill the specified teaching obligation, they have to pay back the loan on a prorated scale. For more see [Washington state's conditional loan programs](https://wsac.wa.gov/teachers). |
| Pathway programs provide students with support along the pathway to becoming teachers by making connections between high school, community colleges, and universities. For an example see New America's profile of [Skagit Valley's Supported Teacher Pathway](https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/reports/paving-way-latinx-teachers/profile-skagit-valleys-supported-teacher-pathway/). Some pathway programs create pathways for high school students/ college students to work as Paraeducators in their school district while enrolled in a teacher preparation program. For an example see Oklahoma City Public School's [Pathway to Bilingual Teaching Careers program](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gwh3J0HE1K5erblzan1GR3sS43lyXGYH/view). |
Forgivable Loans are a form of financial assistance provided after a candidate has already earned a degree and begun working. These loans These loans come with the expectation that the recipient will teach in the district or state for a specified number of years. If the recipient fails to fulfill the specified teaching obligation, they have to pay back the loan on a prorated scale. For more see MHEC's brief [Understanding State Loan Forgiveness and Conditional Grant Programs](https://www.mhec.org/sites/default/files/resources/mhec_affordability_series4_20180201.pdf). |
| Scholarship programs that support high school students to pursue a degree in teaching. Many of these scholarships take the form of conditional loans, meaning that students who accept the money must commit to teaching for a specified number of years in the state or risk having to pay back a portion of the loan. |
Partnership refers to GYO programs whereby school districts partner with institutes of higher education and/or community based organizations to recruit and prepare teachers from the local community. Oftentimes, these partnerships are designed to provide candidates with wraparound supports to facilitate access and persistence in a teacher preparation program. For more see New America's [GYO Toolkit](https://d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net/documents/GYO_Partnership_Key_Strategies_FINAL.pdf). |
| Teacher Academy is a model that can incorporate elements of career and technical education and Dual Enrollment. For an example see Washington's [Recruiting Washington Teachers](https://www.pesb.wa.gov/innovation-policy/grants-pilots/recruiting-washington-teachers-grant/) program |
Teacher Registered Apprenticeship is a program that must be registered with either the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. These programs are employer-driven career pathway that provide paid work experience, progressive wages, related instruction, and an industry recognized credential. Apprentices work in schools under the guidance of mentor teachers and many programs are structured to be low to zero cost. For more information on apprenticeship programs in education see [Apprenticeship USA](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-industries/education). |
| [Teacher Cadets](https://www.teachercadets.com/about.html) is a national program that exposes high school students to careers in teaching through coursework, including dual enrollment. Originally started in South Carolina, the program has expanded to over 30 states. |
Scholarship refers to program that provide Paraeducators with financial assistance to cover the costs of tuition. These scholarships have varying requirements and often do not cover the full cost of tuition, books, and fees. [California](https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/commission/reports/classified-grant-pgm-report-2019.pdf) offers an example of state-funded scholarship programs designed for Paraeducators and other non-certified school staff. |
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Teacher Residency programs provide teacher candidates with the opportunity to get hands-on experience and mentorship by working in a classroom alongside a more experienced teacher before they take on responsibility for leading their own classroom. This approach to teacher preparation typically lasts for an entire school year and is paired with coursework that will result in a graduate degree in education and a teaching license. For more see the Pathway Alliance report [Towards a National Definition of Teacher Residencies](https://educate.bankstreet.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1038&context=pt). |