Ramapo College of New Jersey has been awarded a $313,973 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) to expand its innovative Teacher Aide-to-Teacher Education (TATE) program. A registered apprenticeship designed to address New Jersey’s ongoing teacher shortage, the program creates clear, affordable pathways for teacher assistants to become certified educators.
The program addresses high-needs areas like STEM, and aligns with NJDOL’s broader apprenticeship (PACE/GAINS) initiatives aimed at developing skilled workforces. This complements a larger NSF grant for Ramapo’s STEM education efforts by funding training and certification programs to fill critical roles in New Jersey’s schools.
Key Initiatives & Grants
The TA to Teacher program is designed to convert teaching assistants into fully certified educators.
Ramapo College also received a $1.3 million STEM Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase the pipeline of well-prepared STEM teachers, especially for high-needs districts.
The 18-month grant, awarded through the NJDOL’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.
Ramapo: Leader in Workforce Development
Ramapo’s 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, which directly serves the state’s needs.
“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.”
How The Teacher Shortage is Addressed
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 otherwise delay degree completion.
►Upskilling Support Staff: The TA to Teacher program offers a direct path for existing school employees (TAs) to earn certification by leveraging their experience.
►Targeted STEM Focus: Both the NSF and NJDOL efforts prioritize STEM, a critical shortage area in New Jersey, and provide financial support and mentorship.
►Partnerships: Ramapo collaborates with community partners and districts to identify vacancies and create mentorships, ensuring teachers are prepared and placed where needed.
►NJDOL PACE/GAINS Programs: These programs support apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship models, creating pathways to careers, including future educator roles, by funding training for industry-recognized credentials.
Relevance to NJDOL
The NJDOL views these programs as part of its mission to build a skilled workforce, using grants to create clear, affordable pathways into high-demand professions like teaching, ultimately reducing reliance on other government assistance.
A report released by Rutgers University’s Heldrich Center on Thursday, Jan. 13, indicated that the number of NJ teachers remained stable, but shifting trends in the number of students seeking to become educators could create future problems, said Stephanie Walsh, assistant director of Rutgers University’s Heldrich Center.
“New Jersey’s overall teacher workforce looks steady on the surface, but rising exits and shortages in key subjects signal potential challenges when we look at the more granular level,” Walsh said.
Lawmakers have passed legislation easing testing requirements for teaching certificates and allowing retired educators to temporarily return to the workforce without disrupting their pensions.
Significant Drop in Teachers Over 10 Year Period
New Jersey had 117,483 teachers in the 2023-24 school year, according to the report, up slightly from 117,043 in the prior school year. But the state saw sizable decreases in some subject areas, including ones that have faced perennial shortages over the 10 years examined by the study.
World language and math teachers saw the greatest declines over the decade. The number of world language teachers declined to 3,747 in the 2023-24 school year, down from 4,166 a decade earlier, a roughly 10% drop. The number of math teachers fell by 9% over the same period, dropping from 6,313 to 5,753.
The report raises concerns about New Jersey’s supply of computer science teachers, noting that statewide, there were more than 480 students per computer science teacher. The report projects that ratio would fall to about 452-to-1 in the coming school years.
“The data show that without action, critical areas like multilingual learning and computer science may face widening gaps,” Walsh said.
The number of new teachers remained well below prepandemic levels, when the state was already seeing fewer and fewer would-be educators seek certification.
New Jersey was getting just nine new teachers for every one leaving the profession, down from 29 in the 2016-2017 school year.
Expands on Existing Partnerships
The expansion builds on Ramapo’s existing partnerships with Bergen County Special Services and the Morris Union Joint Commission and extends the program’s reach across northern New Jersey. The grant also advances equity goals by prioritizing participation from underrepresented and disadvantaged populations.
Prospective students and school district partners can learn more by visiting ramapo.edu/te/ or emailing admissions@ramapo.edu.
About Ramapo College
Ramapo College, the premier public liberal arts college in New Jersey known for its student-centered approach, strong public mission, and commitment to access, equity, and opportunity, has committed to sustaining the program beyond the grant period, ensuring it remains a permanent part of Ramapo’s educator preparation efforts.
The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.
