Building Special Education Talent from Within: Clarke County’s Residency-Based Teacher Apprenticeship

Building Special Education Talent from Within: Clarke County’s Residency-Based Teacher Apprenticeship

Thursday, May 22 | 11:00am - 12:00pm CST

Presented by Dan Swartz, Executive Director of Human Resources and Christopher Pendley, Director of Employee Development with Clarke County School District.

In response to critical teacher shortages—especially in special education—the Clarke County School District (CCSD) in Georgia launched an innovative residency-based teacher apprenticeship program designed to grow talent from within. CCSD is offering a paid, on-the-job bachelor’s degree program that enables current school employees to earn their teaching certification while continuing to work in classrooms.

Join this webinar to hear how CCSD built this program from the ground up, becoming one of Georgia’s first Registered Apprenticeship Hubs focused on teacher preparation. Learn how the district is using apprenticeship funding, leveraging partnerships, and supporting paraprofessionals on their journey to full licensure—all while filling high-need special education roles with dedicated, homegrown educators.

What You’ll Learn:

• How CCSD designed and launched its special education teacher apprenticeship program

• Strategies for funding and sustaining on-the-job teacher pathways

• The role of community-connected paraprofessionals in solving the teacher shortage

• Lessons learned from the district’s first residency cohort

This webinar is sponsored by Bloomboard and is FREE for members and nonmembers. 

Qualifies for 1 hour of continued education credit through SHRM, HRCI & pHCLE.