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At Dexter USD 471, the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP) is more than an alternative pathway into teaching. It is a long-term investment in people who already know the community, care deeply about students, and are committed to staying. Through the RTAP, the district is intentionally growing its own educators while strengthening classrooms today.

District leadership, including K.B. Criss, USD 471’s superintendent and K-12 principal, and Lacey Ware, board clerk, have supported the program to meet staffing needs while maintaining instructional continuity.

“These are individuals who already understand our students and our school culture”, Criss shared. “RTAP allows us to support them as they grow into educators while they continue serving our students each day.”

That support is clearly reflected in the work of Essie Boatman and Daisy Parsons, two RTAP apprentices whose journey into teaching are rooted in hands on experience and strong mentorship.

RTAP provided Boatman with a realistic way forward, one that allows her to remain employed in the district while actively preparing for a future classroom of her own.

“RTAP is making my teaching career feel attainable,” she said. “It makes it feel tangible, and if it wasn’t for this program, I wouldn’t be pursuing a teaching degree.”

Gage has seen that growth up close as Boatman’s mentor. “Essie notices students who are struggling and steps in,” she said.

Boatman, the path to teaching has been shaped by time spent working as a paraeducator in Dexter USD 471 for three years. She has developed through daily classroom involvement, where she supports students by applying what she learns at Fort Hyas State University firsthand in the classroom. Working alongside her mentor teacher, Tina Gage, Boatman has taken on increasing responsibility, from assisting with instruction to supporting individual students who need extra guidance.

Daisy Parsons’ journey into teaching reflects a similar commitment to learning through experience. Currently enrolled in the Wichita State University Teacher Apprentice Program (TAP), she balances coursework with hands on classroom work through the RTAP, gaining practical experience while remaining rooted in her community.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.” Parsons shared. “Growing up and seeing the positive influence that you can have on kids really made me want to become a teacher.”

RTAP allowed Parsons to bridge the gap between theory and practice, reinforcing learning through real classroom experience.

For her mentor teacher Lisa Holland, Parsons’ growth has been noticeable.

“She understands how to balance accountability and compassion,” Holland said. “She builds relationships, supports learning, and holds students to expectations.”

Holland explained that Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn,” captures what she believes to be the central purpose of the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

For Dexter USD 471, the RTAP has become a strategic response to workforce challenges common in small and rural districts. Recruiting teachers from outside of the community can be difficult, but developing educators from within creates stability and continuity for students.

“The RTAP is great and I think it’s helping change the future in the way we go about recruiting and retaining employees,” Criss said.

Beyond filling future vacancies, district leadership views the RTAP as a long term investment in quality.

Apprentices gain meaningful classroom experience before becoming teachers of record, reducing the steep learning curve often associated with the first year of teaching.

The impact is already visible. Apprentices support instructions, assist with small groups, step in when additional help is needed, and build trusting relationships with students, all while preparing for licensure.

When asked what advice they would give others considering the RTAP, both apprentices acknowledged the demands of the program but emphasized its value.

“It’s a lot of work,” Boatman said, “but the experience you gain makes it worth it.”

Parsons agreed. “If you’re serious about teaching, this program prepares you in ways you can’t get anywhere else even just looking at the money standpoint of it,” she said.

Through the RTAP, Dexter USD 471 is building a sustainable pathway that removes barriers, strengthens classrooms, and prepares future educators where they are needed most. By investing in people who already know the students and the community, the district is growing its own one apprentice at a time.

About Dexter USD 471

Dexter USD 471 serves a close‑knit rural community in south‑central Kansas, where strong relationships and long‑term commitment to students are central to the district’s culture. With approximately 300 students are enrolled across grades Pre-K-12, the district is focused on developing educators from within through initiatives like RTAP. This approach helps build long term stability while preserving personal connections.