Minnesota DLI Awards $3M Grants for Teacher Apprenticeships

MN DLI Labor News

Published January 27th, 2026

Detected March 20th, 2026

Summary

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) has awarded $3 million in grants to three registered teacher apprenticeship programs. These grants aim to expand the programs, enabling participants to earn a teaching license and bachelor's degree at no cost, addressing teacher shortages in the state.

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The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) announced the award of $3 million in grants to three registered teacher apprenticeship programs: Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota Teacher Apprenticeship Joint Training Committee, and Teacher Apprenticeship Minnesota. These grants, funded through the 2025 legislative session, will support participants in earning a Minnesota teaching license and a bachelor's degree at no cost, with the goal of reducing teacher shortages and strengthening the education workforce.

While this is an announcement of grant awards and not a new regulation, compliance officers in educational institutions and related organizations should be aware of this initiative. The grant period runs from February 1, 2026, to December 31, 2030. The application process for these specific grants is now closed, but the existence of such programs highlights a state-level focus on expanding registered apprenticeships into the education sector, which may lead to future regulatory or policy developments in workforce training and teacher certification.

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Department of Labor and Industry awards grants to expand registered teacher apprenticeship programs

Department of Labor and Industry awards grants to expand registered teacher apprenticeship programs

January 27, 2026
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) has awarded grants to three registered apprenticeship programs through its Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program Grant. The selected programs are:

Minneapolis Public Schools
Minnesota Teacher Apprenticeship Joint Training Committee
Teacher Apprenticeship Minnesota The funding will allow these organizations to help participants earn a Minnesota teaching license in areas such as special education, elementary education and early childhood education. Participants will earn a bachelor’s degree and receive their teaching license at no cost. They will work in a school district while being mentored by an experienced teacher. This “earn-and-learn” model aims to reduce teacher shortages and strengthen Minnesota’s education workforce.

“Registered apprenticeship is considered the gold-standard in employment-based training, combining on-the-job learning with related technical instruction to prepare workers for highly skilled careers,” said Nicole Blissenbach, DLI commissioner. “This model has been extremely successful within the construction trades and we’re excited to see it applied to education. These grants will help aspiring educators to earn while they learn, supporting schools in recruiting and retaining talent and ensuring students have access to high-quality teachers.”

Registered teacher apprenticeship programs launched in Minnesota in August 2024. Today, more than 100 registered teacher apprentices are active in the state. Nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 5,000 teacher apprentices participate in registered apprenticeship programs across 40 states and territories.

The Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program Grant was funded during the 2025 legislative session. The available grant funds for qualified organizations were $3 million. The grant application process is now closed. The grant period runs from Feb. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2030.

About Apprenticeship Minnesota

Apprenticeship Minnesota, a program within DLI, promotes, develops, and supports registered apprenticeship opportunities across industries. Apprenticeship combines on-the-job training with related technical instruction, offering a proven pathway to careers in high-demand fields.

Media contact: James Honerman at 651-284-5313 or james.honerman@state.mn.us.