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Instruction
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57 : 50
Building Strong Educational Apprenticeships: 10 Lessons from South Dakota and North Dakota

Educational apprenticeships are transforming teacher, principal, and paraprofessional pipelines in rural states, offering an innovative solution to persistent educator shortages. This presentation highlights ten key lessons learned from leading apprenticeship programs in South Dakota and North Dakota. Attendees will gain insights into best practices such as collaborating with state agencies, securing sustainable funding, leveraging national organizations like the National Grow Your Own, and implementing strong mentorship models. Additional topics include data collection for continuous improvement, strategies for managing time while working and learning, and supporting special education pathways. With a focus on practical strategies and real-world examples, this session will equip education leaders, policymakers, and school administrators with actionable steps to strengthen apprenticeship initiatives in their communities.

This talk was presented at:
2026 National ESEA Conference
February 2026 in Denver, CO
For more information:
https://dsu.edu/programs/Teacher-Apprenticeship-Pathway-Program.html
Speakers
Laurie Matzke

Laurie Matzke has served as the Assistant State Superintendent since 2016 and recently transitioned to a new role as the Chief of Program Development & Growth for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for the department’s special projects and opportunities for development aligned with the agency's vision and mission. Laurie is the project lead for the state’s Choice Ready Initiative. The Choice Ready Framework is a key element for high Schools in our accountability system. It measures whether high schools are preparing students for success in life after graduation. Laurie also leads the Grow Your Own work in the department, which includes the para-to-teacher pathway, registered teacher apprenticeship, registered principal apprenticeship, and a new Lead Teacher apprenticeship. Laurie graduated from Valley City State University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in reading and early childhood education. She obtained her master’s in curriculum and instruction at California State University, Fullerton. She taught first grade for five years in Corona, California, before joining the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction in 1993.

David De Jong

David De Jong, Ed.D., is South Dakota's leading expert in teacher apprenticeships, currently directing multiple statewide apprenticeship pathways that focus on innovative, practical routes to teacher certification and workforce development. David has demonstrated exceptional ability to secure substantial funding for teacher apprenticeship programs, successfully obtaining and managing over $4.3 million in awarded grants and legislative appropriations from federal, state, and departmental sources to expand and sustain innovative educator pathways. He has also co-published the following: Schuh, M., Nash, J., Young, R., & De Jong, D. (2025). A teacher apprenticeship pathway in a rural, Midwest state. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, 21(4), 36-47.

Tags
Program Implementation And Evaluation
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