É«ÇéÍøÕ¾

The É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ School of Education has been awarded three new grants by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to support apprentice educators in Kodiak, update apprenticeship coursework and launch a leadership initiative in partnership with the University of Alaska Southeast.

The three grants from Alaska DEED will help strengthen existing programs and create new opportunities for Alaska’s future teachers:

• $8,000 in direct funding to apprentice educators in Kodiak, covering tuition and fees to support aspiring teachers where they live and work.
• $25,000 to revise upper-division coursework and enhance the existing educator apprenticeship program.
• $100,000 joint grant with University of Alaska Southeast to design and develop a leadership pathway, supporting the professional growth of educators aspiring to leadership roles in schools and districts.

É«ÇéÍøÕ¾'s apprenticeship for educators program is a work-based learning model that allows individuals to earn while they learn, gaining necessary experience while progressing toward teacher certification. The program helps embed future teachers in their own communities — ensuring teacher preparation is responsive to regional needs while they train within their own home districts. Only since 2022 has the United States Department of Labor accepted registered apprenticeships as a pathway to teacher certification. This fall, É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ welcomed its first cohort of apprentice teachers from around the state.

“In a highly applied profession like education, our students need access to practical in-classroom skills to be effective. As É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ educates the next generation of Alaska teachers, we're also learning from them. These early cohorts' experiences inform how the program continues to develop. It's a very mutually rewarding experience," said Dr. Tonia Dousay, dean of the É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ School of Education.

In addition to these advancements, Dean Dousay is accepting a national award on behalf of É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ for the Culturally Responsive Apprenticeship Pathway for Early Childhood Education, earning the 2025 Colleagues’ Choice Innovation Award from the Western Academic Leadership Forum. This honor underscores É«ÇéÍøվ’s role in championing accessible and culturally relevant education solutions that directly benefit Alaska’s schools and students.

Through these initiatives, É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ reaffirms its leadership in teacher preparation and workforce development, ensuring Alaska’s schools are staffed with highly qualified educators who are trained at home to serve and strengthen their communities.