As a part of the Tennessee Department of Education's Best for All strategic plan, the Grow Your Own initiative aims to provide all Tennessee students with access to a high-quality education and an effective teacher to support learning in every classroom.
Tennessee was the first state in the country to sponsor Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship programs between school districts and Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs), and Tennessee’s Teacher Apprenticeship model aligns leading practices in teacher preparation and development with the rigors of the nationally registered apprenticeship process. High school and college students, school based professionals, and career changers and retirees all have an opportunity to enter the teaching profession through an apprenticeship program.