Ramapo College of New Jersey has been awarded a $313,973 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to expand its innovative Teacher Aide-to-Teacher Education (TATE) program, a registered apprenticeship designed to address New Jersey’s ongoing teacher shortage while creating clear, affordable pathways for teacher assistants to become certified educators.
The 18-month grant, awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) program, will support the enrollment of new registered apprentices across seven North Jersey counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren.
The TATE program, launched in 2022, is New Jersey’s first U.S. Department of Labor-registered teacher apprenticeship provider. The expansion of this program reflects the College’s continued leadership in applied learning and workforce development that directly serves the needs of the state.
“This grant allows us to grow a proven model that benefits students, school districts and communities across New Jersey,” said Dr. Adam Fried, assistant dean of teacher education at Ramapo College.
“By supporting teacher assistants already working in our schools, we are strengthening the educator pipeline and helping address a critical workforce need.”
The TATE program uses an “earn-and-learn” model that allows participants, most often teacher aides or paraprofessionals, to continue working full-time in their school districts while completing credit-bearing coursework toward a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.
Apprentices may also pursue a streamlined “4+1” pathway to earn a Master of Arts in Special Education.
Participants are officially registered with the U.S. Department of Labor as teacher apprentices and receive paid, on-the-job training alongside academic instruction aligned with New Jersey Department of Education and USDOL standards.
The program also provides wraparound support, including academic advising, mental health services and emergency micro-grants through Ramapo’s We Care Student Relief Fund, helping students overcome financial and life barriers that might delay degree completion.
