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Transforming Teacher Preparation: A Look Inside Hutto ISD’s RTAP
Category: Lessons from the Field
On the Ground with RTAPs is a monthly newsletter published on LinkedIn, highlighting best practices and insights on building, launching, and sustaining Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs.
In the heart of one of Texas’s fastest-growing communities, Hutto ISD is taking a bold step toward strengthening the educator pipeline with more certified teachers through its Registered Teaching Apprenticeship Program (RTAP).
In a state where 52 percent of new teachers are entering the classroom uncertified, directly impacting student learning, RTAPs offer a myriad of benefits that have the potential to navigate these challenges. They can be intentionally designed to respond to the needs of the communities they serve, and their adaptability can expand access to the teaching profession by providing a practical path for paraprofessionals, high school students, and career-changers to enter the teaching profession at a low barrier to entry.
Our team, alongside Houston Endowment, had the opportunity to visit with Hutto educators and leaders to surface insights, artifacts, and reflections on how they’re running this relatively new program.
As Dr. Cara Malone, Ed.D., Chief of Schools at Hutto ISD, explained, "We are actually the fifth fastest growing district in Central Texas. And we really grow about equivalent to a half or three fourths of an elementary school every single year." This growth presents both opportunities and challenges, especially in recruiting and preparing new teachers:
Meet the Apprentices
Hutto ISD’s apprenticeship program isn’t just about filling vacancies—it’s about building a sustainable workforce. The apprentices, many of whom are already part of the Hutto community, bring many different perspectives and a passion for education. They’re learning not just the fundamentals of teaching but also how to engage with students, support their needs, and adapt to the dynamic realities of the classroom.
Each person had a unique reason for pursuing this pathway. One had previously run a successful tutoring business in the community, another sought a more hands-on teaching experience after facing challenges with remote learning during the COVID pandemic, and another wanted to gain classroom experience as soon as possible. Despite their different backgrounds, one common truth emerged: none of them believed they would have become teachers without this opportunity.
Hear what apprentices Johnny, Kiley, and Becca have to say about their experience:
Hutto’s Unique Model
The apprenticeship program was built in partnership with edwell, a nonprofit intermediary supporting programs across Texas to co-design a program that works for their local context. Designed to be flexible and to meet the needs of many types of candidates, Amy Griffin, Regional Director of Partnerships at Reach University, shares that "the average age of our candidates is 37. So they are truly adults living an adult life with lots of different things going on. Many are parents and caregivers. We're trying to help individuals that are in to live in the communities that they reside in and want to stay in those communities and teach not to get a degree and then move off somewhere else.”
Supported by mentors and coaches, the apprentices spend 80 to 90 percent of their time in the classroom, with coursework occurring primarily in the evening a few days per week. This allows them to learn on the job and to apply what they are learning in their coursework to their work in the classroom. "It's seeing theory put into practice," said Johnny Moya, an apprentice in the program. "I'm getting great experience. I'm getting paid, and not having to pay to student teach." Johnny’s principal, Kayla Gossett, also emphasized, “Our apprentices don’t just shadow teachers; they are embedded in classrooms, gradually taking on more responsibility so they’re fully prepared by the time they have their own classrooms.”
Apprentice Johnny Moya co-teaching with his mentor teacher, Megan Perkins.
Apprentice Kiley Neu (left) having a coaching conversation with her mentor teacher during class.
Apprentice Kiley Neu supporting a 2nd Grade student during a science lesson.
Apprentice Johnny Moya working with 8th Grade students during a math lesson
As the landscape of teacher preparation evolves, programs like Hutto ISD’s apprenticeship model demonstrate what’s possible when we rethink the way we support aspiring educators.
(Photo credit: Rony Canales, Houston Endowment)
Learn More
Curious about how other programs are developing their RTAPs to meet the needs of their community?
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On the Ground with RTAPs is a monthly newsletter published on LinkedIn, highlighting best practices and insights on building, launching, and sustaining Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs.