Licensing report: competency-based pathways and apprenticeship drive uptick in professional licenses
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Summary
Utah licensing staff told the State Board of Education licensing committee that competency-based teacher-preparation pathways and expanded APPLE program enrollment are producing more professional licenses and stronger retention.
Utah’s educator licensing staff reported increases in candidates completing preparation pathways and in the number of educators awarded professional licenses, crediting the state’s shift to competency-based licensing adopted in 2020.
Malia Haidt, executive coordinator of educator licensing, told the committee that alternate preparation (APPLE) programs now enroll thousands of candidates and that the competency-based approach has helped Utah "buck the trend nationally." "We have more professionally licensed teachers now than in recent years and have a much greater enrollment," Haidt said.
Staff briefed the committee on enrollment and completion figures: APPLE programs enrolled roughly 2,576 candidates last school year, with 593 completers; about 53% of APPLE candidates remain enrolled because the program is growing and many candidates take multiple years to finish. Licensing staff reported a three-year retention rate of about 81% for APPLE completers, higher than many university pathways.
Haidt and Lisa McLaughlin, educator preparation coordinator, described two major new initiatives. The Utah Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers (URAP), approved in July 2024, is a work-and-learn pathway that pairs apprentices with LEA employers and related-instruction providers; staff said the program received $2,200,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor and already has more than a dozen employer partners and several higher-education partners. Haidt said the first two apprenticeship positions were advertised on UtahJobs and staff expect to sign the first apprentice within weeks.
The committee also heard an update on a stipend program created by HB 221. Haidt said the legislature appropriated $8.4 million for stipends and that recipients receive $6,000 during a student-teaching placement. Staff reported more than 1,300 applications and summarized survey results from fall recipients: 85% reduced outside work hours, 71% no longer needed a second job, 99% reported reduced financial stress and 75% said the stipend had a significant impact.
Board members and staff discussed data collection and reporting gaps. Several members asked about the Interstate Teacher Licensure Compact and whether Utah is a net importer of teachers; Haidt said compact data are not yet available because the system is not online but that staff see educators coming to Utah. The committee also discussed educator qualifications for specific assignments and distinctions among professional, associate and LEA-specific licenses.
Members praised the competency-based approach while raising concerns about program rigor, variations among program completion rates and how to support candidates in rural or specialty areas. Haidt said staff plan targeted rule amendments and refinements to apprenticeship rules based on early implementation experience.
No committee vote was required for the informational report.