LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A federal grant will allow Arkansas to expand training opportunities for special education teachers and developmental therapists through registered apprenticeships that provide on-the-job learning while participants earn income.
According to the Arkansas Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Education has awarded $702,324 for the first year of the Arkansas Special Education and Early Intervention Registered Apprenticeship Project. The initiative could secure over $4.3 million in funding through September 2031 if annual continuation approvals and federal funds remain available.
Designed to address longstanding shortages of special education teachers and developmental therapists, the grant will support existing apprenticeships for special education positions and launch a new apprenticeship program for developmental therapists. These therapists provide critical early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
“Through LEARNS, Arkansas made a commitment to better prepare the teachers and early learning educators that serve our children, and this grant helps us keep it,” said Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva in a statement. “Future educators can train for these jobs while they work in their own communities, with mentors beside them, and no tuition debt at the end. That is how we grow a workforce that stays.”
The funding comes from the federal Fiscal Year 2026 Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel through Registered Apprenticeships competition.
Arkansas currently has only one in-state training program for developmental therapists, exacerbating workforce shortages. This project builds on the efforts of both the Arkansas LEARNS Act, a legislative initiative focusing on recruiting and retaining teachers, and Arkansas ACCESS, which promotes affordable, accessible credentialing pathways aligned to workforce needs.
To address these challenges, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) partnered with the Arkansas Office of Skills Development, school districts, and institutions of higher education in 2022 to develop the Arkansas Teacher Registered Apprenticeship. This program supports working adults in completing bachelor’s degrees leading to licensure in K-12 education. In 2025, the program expanded to include special education pathways, and it provided a route for those already holding degrees to earn initial licensure while working.
“Our teacher apprenticeship model is working, and this grant lets us extend it in two directions,” said Dr. Brandie Benton, DESE assistant commissioner of educator effectiveness and licensure. “We can grow the number of special education apprentices, and we can apply the same grow-your-own approach to early intervention, where the need for qualified providers is just as serious.”
The department plans to establish a statewide network of school districts and early intervention providers under the project, prioritizing high-need areas. Mentors will receive stipends for their support of apprentices. Officials will track data on recruitment, enrollment, program completion, credential attainment, workforce retention, and cost per participant to guide program improvements over the course of the grant.
This initiative marks the state’s latest effort to strengthen the workforce addressing the needs of children with disabilities and the professionals who support them.