ASPIRING TEACHERS

IPS offers several pathways to become a licensed teacher – and we’ll support you along the way. Join Team IPS and Prove What’s Possible for our 30,000+ students
and community.

Pre-Service Teachers: Classroom Experiences

IPS Registered Teacher
Apprenticeship Program (RTAP)

Launched in Fall 2025, the inaugural cohort of IPS RTAP apprentices represents an exciting first “on ramp” in what will be a range of professional educator pathways (PEPs) within IPS. Apprentices pursue a Bachelor's degree through a combination of job-embedded experiences and Marian University online coursework. Candidates for this opportunity include current IPS non-licensed classified staff who are interested in becoming classroom teachers at a greatly reduced or no cost.

Partner: Marian University

Requirements: Associate’s Degree or 60 Transferable Credits

(IPS is actively exploring pathways for candidates starting with a high school diploma or equivalent.) 

    • Elementary Education: Yes

    • Secondary Content Areas: No

    • Early Childhood Education: No

    • Special Education: No

    • Teaching English as a New Language (ENL): No
Submit Interest Form (current IPS Classified Staff Only)
Learn more

THANK YOU Powers & Sons Construction
for supporting the first IPS
RTAP scholarship!

IndyTeach Apprenticeship

The IndyTeach Apprenticeship is a no-cost, paid, fully classroom-embedded educator training program offering
a path to teaching for aspiring teachers who have already completed a prior undergraduate degree. Candidates for this program include current IPS employees or those who wish to pursue a new career in education after starting in other careers.

Partner: Christel House Indianapolis

Requirements: Bachelor's Degree (min 3.0 GPA or 2.50 GPA + 5 years of related work experience)

    • Elementary Education: Yes

    • Secondary Content Areas: Yes

    • Early Childhood Education: No

    • Special Education: No

    • Teaching English as a New Language (ENL): No

Learn more

Early College Teacher Program (ECTP)

The Early College Teacher Pathway (ECTP) at Arsenal Technical High School, starting Fall 2024, provides an opportunity for IPS high school juniors to earn dual credit and gain work-based learning in education. Sophomores in the Education Professions pathway can apply to the two-year Butler ECTP to earn dual credit, learn from college professors, and experience campus life. ECTP prepares students to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Education at Butler University and return to teach in IPS, while including an academic articulation path and additional supports.

Partner: Butler University

Requirements: Junior at Arsenal Technical High School

    • Elementary Education: Yes

    • Secondary Content Areas: No

    • Early Childhood Education: No

    • Special Education: No

    • Teaching English as a New Language (ENL): No

Learn more

IPS Emergency Permit (EP)/
Alternative Special Education
(Alt SpEd) Licensure Support Pathway

IPS provides testing support by paying for costs related to Passage Preparation (PP) study coursework and required Praxis assessment(s) for teachers hired into certified teaching roles at high-need schools or in high-need subject areas.
PP courses are aligned to content measured on the Praxis licensure exams required by the Indiana Department of Education and include embedded practice quizzes and tests throughout the modules and following course completion. 

Partner: Passage Preparation and ETS/Praxis

Requirements: Bachelor's of Science Degree in Education 

  • Must be pursuing additional licensure in a high-need subject area (Special Education, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science) OR

  • Must be employed by IPS at a high-need school or in a high-need subject area AND

  • Must have evidence of prior attempt(s) to pass Praxis test(s) corresponding to area of licensure in which currently teaching 

    • Elementary Education: Yes

    • Secondary Content Areas: Yes

    • Early Childhood Education: Yes

    • Special Education: Yes

    • Teaching English as a New Language (ENL): Yes

Learn more
“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”
— Japanese Proverb