Last week, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced over $1.7 million in grants to school districts implementing the state’s first Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs in Massachusetts, with Lowell Public Schools receiving the largest award of $494,150.
Fatima DeSousa, Coordinator of Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices, runs the program for LPS. In an email to InsideLowell about the award, DeSousa wrote:
Lowell Public Schools (LPS) is proud to announce the launch of its Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP) for the 2025–2026 school year. This innovative initiative is designed to support paraprofessionals in becoming licensed Special Education teachers while addressing critical staffing shortages and advancing a more inclusive and representative educator workforce.
Fully funded by the DESE RTAP grant, the program provides a structured, supportive pathway for paraprofessionals to transition into teaching roles without the financial barriers often associated with higher education. The inaugural cohort includes five paraprofessional apprentices who are working full-time across Murkland, Bailey, Greenhalge, McAvinnue, and McAuliffe Elementary Schools.
While working in our schools, apprentices complete 2,000 hours of mentored, on-the-job training under the guidance of experienced LPS Special Education mentor teachers. The program also supports apprentices through coursework at UMass Lowell (UML), along with materials, dedicated mentorship, and wraparound services to help balance professional, academic, and personal responsibilities. In addition, stipends are provided for five experienced LPS mentor teachers who play a key role in supporting apprentices throughout their journey.
Through partnerships with Middlesex Community College (MCC) and UMass Lowell, the program creates a seamless pathway from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree and full Special Education licensure, with MCC credits transferring directly to UML.
This program represents a significant investment in the Lowell community by strengthening the educator pipeline and supporting paraprofessionals, many of whom reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the district’s students.
In its press release, the Healey Administration highlighted the primary goals of registered teacher apprenticeships are to cultivate a diverse and effective teacher pipeline that reflects Massachusetts’ student population, address staffing shortages in hard-to-staff licensure areas such as special education, early childhood, English as a second language, and STEM and expand equitable access to the teaching profession.
