Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program of Study
Overview of ICBTE/RTAPS Project:
The ICBTE/RTAPS project is a collaborative initiative led by the Tennessee Grow Your Own Center, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and the University of Tennessee System. The project aims to address the state’s teacher shortage by strengthening the K-12 teacher talent development pipeline. A $1.8 million grant from Ascendium Education Group supports the development of the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program of Study (RTAPS), an online curriculum created by faculty fellows within the Institute for Competency-Based Teacher Education (ICBTE).
Coming Fall 2025:
Once the curriculum is finalized you will see a comprehensive list of EPPs providing RTAPS, what programs they offer, and next steps for EPPs who are interested in integrating this curriculum.
Goals:
GOAL #1: Increase Program Access and Quality
- Faculty Fellows collaborate in developing RTAPS, shaping online competency-based curriculum
- Implement virtual simulation technology to standardize rigor and practice opportunities
GOAL #2: Enhance Teacher Apprenticeship Sustainability
- Participate in the application of competency-based assessment for credit
- Explore innovative pathways for prior learning recognition
- Ensure consistency and validity of apprenticeship credit earned on the job
GOAL #3: Support Rural Education Access
- Enable teacher apprenticeships in rural districts with small numbers of learners
- Contribute to scholarship and reports demonstrating the impact of apprenticeships
Collaboration involves cross-institutional partnerships, as Faculty Fellows create, maintain, and improve RTAPS.
ICBTE reduces or eliminates challenges to entering the teacher workforce by:
- Overcoming access challenges
- Honoring competencies over classroom time
- Leveraging technology
Faculty Fellows
Austin Peay State University
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Lori Allen
Coord. of Continuous Improvement,
College of Education
Laura Barnett
Assistant Professor,
College of Education
Christi Maldonado
Assistant Professor,
College of Education
Allison Oliver
Assistant Professor,
College of Education
Donna Short
Assistant Professor,
College of Education
Bing Xiao
Assistant Professor,
College of Education
Lipscomb University
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Leslie Cowell
Dean, College of Education
Middle Tennessee State University
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Shannon Harmon
Associate Professor,
College of Education
UT Chattanooga
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Stephanie Brennan
Lecturer and Grow Your Own Program Coordinator,
School of Education
UT Knoxville
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Amelia Brown
Data Coordinator,
Office of Professional Licensure,
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
UT Martin
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Tammie Patterson
Assistant Professor,
Department of Educational Studies
Laura Plunk
Lecturer,
Department of Educational Studies
Clinton Smith
Professor and Chair,
Department of Educational Studies
Alisa Wilson
Assistant Professor,
Department of Educational Studies
UT Southern
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Claire Paul
Program Coordinator of
Special Education,
School of Education
Cindy Young
Grow Your Own Coordinator,
School of Education
Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program of Study (RTAPS): a curriculum for teacher apprentices that is a digital repository of assessments, rubrics, and aligned instructional materials.
RTAPS is an innovative, virtual, competency-based curriculum aimed at expanding access to high quality teacher education. This Open Education Resource (OER) curriculum will be aligned to InTASC standards, addressing the evolving needs of aspiring teachers.
Faculty Fellows from the Institute for Competency-based Teacher Education (ICBTE) have collaborated on the development of assessments, rubrics, mentor support resources and instructional materials.
Funds and technical support are available to integrate state of the art virtual simulation technology as a key component of RTAPS.
RTAPS expands access to high quality teacher education by:
- Providing secure access to standards-based curriculum for partnering Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs)
- Aligning curriculum to InTASC standards
- Creating digitally available resources for partnering EPPs to adopt and implement in both Grow Your Own and non-Grow Your Own programming across the state
Partners
- EPPs with faculty fellows participating in the Institute for Competency-based Teacher Education
- Austin Peay State University
- Lipscomb University
- Middle Tennessee State University
- UT Chattanooga
- UT Knoxville
- UT Martin
- UT Southern
- iDesign
- Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN)
- Ascendium Education Group
Key Milestones
Jan. 5, 2024–Dec. 31, 2025
- Length of Institute for Competency-based Teacher Education (ICBTE) fellowship
Academic Year 2024–25
- Version 1 of materials piloted
Fall 2025
- Version 2 published
By Dec. 31, 2025
- Faculty Fellows develop assessments and instructional materials equivalent to 48 credit hours
- Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program of Study (RTAPS) completed