A new report from the Department of Public Instruction reveals a startling trend in Wisconsin’s public schools: nearly 20 percent of Wisconsin teachers leave the profession before completing their third year. The findings highlight an escalating teacher shortage crisis that experts outside of the department bureaucracy say demands bold, innovative solutions rather than reliance on outdated strategies.
Apprenticeships could be the answer, but the Department has been reluctant to embrace them.
“The Department of Public Instruction previously lobbied against legislation that would have created a robust teacher apprenticeship program in Wisconsin, instead focusing on only a narrow pilot program that was designed to produce only a handful of apprentices,” said CJ Szafir, CEO of the Institute for Reforming Government (IRG). “States that truly embrace teacher apprenticeships are seeing hundreds of people enter the program. Wisconsin finds itself lagging behind again.”
The report has reignited calls for reform, with advocates pointing to teacher apprenticeships as a proven fix adopted by 46 other states.
“Schools are begging for great educators. Throwing money at the same old solutions continues to fail. State leaders must step up and innovate instead of overspending on already failing programs,” said Szafir. “It’s time Wisconsin embraces teacher apprenticeships to increase classroom experience, lower student debt, and solve the teacher shortage.”
Teacher apprenticeships, which blend hands-on classroom experience with college coursework, have gained traction across party lines in Wisconsin and beyond. Under the model, aspiring teachers earn a bachelor’s degree over four years, completing education courses in their first two years before transitioning to paid roles as paraprofessionals or substitutes during their junior and senior years. Schools select their apprentices, who work under mentor teachers, gaining practical skills while filling existing staffing gaps at no additional cost.
The concept has already sparked legislative action.
In 2024, Rep. William Penterman, a Republican, introduced a bill to establish teacher apprenticeships statewide, winning unanimous GOP support. Although Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the measure, he later launched a pilot program in a handful of schools. Now, Evers’ 2025 budget proposal seeks to expand the initiative across Wisconsin, offering tuition support for apprentices in exchange for graduates with robust, real-world training.
IRG, which began studying the potential of teacher apprenticeships in May 2023, argues the approach tackles the root causes of turnover. By providing more classroom experience, reducing student debt, and rooting teachers in their local communities, the program could produce resilient educators equipped to stay in the profession long-term.
The DPI report underscores the urgency of the issue. With high turnover disrupting school stability, supporters say a modest investment in apprenticeships could deliver a pipeline of high-quality teachers to districts, charter schools, and private institutions alike — a smart proposition for a state in desperate need of change.
