New Bill Boosts Dual Credit for Future Kentucky Teachers

Kentucky lawmakers are taking a direct, locally driven approach to strengthening the state’s educator workforce—one that starts years before a future teacher ever steps into a classroom. Senate Bill 22, filed by Senator Jimmy Higdon, would significantly expand the state’s “grow your own” teacher pipeline by allowing high school students enrolled in registered teacher apprenticeship programs to earn substantially more dual credit toward teacher education degrees.

The proposal reflects a growing recognition across Kentucky that the teacher shortage—particularly in rural communities—cannot be solved solely through recruitment from outside the state. Instead, SB 22 formalizes and scales programs that identify local students early, train them close to home, and connect them directly to employment in the communities that raised them.

A Formal Pathway from High School to the Classroom

At its core, Senate Bill 22 builds a clear bridge between high school, college, and full-time employment as a Kentucky-certified teacher. Beginning with the 2027–28 school year, eligible high school students participating in state-approved teacher apprenticeship programs would be allowed to earn up to 20 dual credit courses required for admission to teacher education programs.

That is a significant expansion from the current dual credit limits, which typically cap students at two general education courses during their junior and senior years. Under SB 22, eligible teacher apprentices could earn as many as eight dual credit courses per academic year, accelerating their progress toward certification while still in high school.

Just as importantly, the bill ensures that these courses are not theoretical placeholders. The legislation requires that dual credit coursework completed through the apprenticeship pathway count toward teacher certification upon graduation, ensuring students do not lose time—or credits—once they enter postsecondary programs.

Keeping College Credit Free for Families

One of the most notable aspects of Senate Bill 22 is what it does not do: it does not shift costs onto families. Dual credit coursework completed through the registered teacher apprenticeship pathway would remain free to students and parents, paid through the state’s Dual Credit Scholarship Program.

Participating colleges and universities must adhere to the state’s dual credit tuition rate ceiling, and they may not charge additional fees beyond what the scholarship covers. Oversight and administration of the program would continue through the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, working in consultation with the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Kentucky Department of Education.

However, the bill also includes accountability measures. Students who withdraw from the apprenticeship program or become academically ineligible may be required to repay the cost of coursework that exceeds traditional dual credit limits—unless repayment is waived for cause.

Strong Accountability for Students and School Districts

SB 22 establishes clear expectations for participation, beginning with student eligibility. To qualify, students must be approved by their local school district, complete a college success counseling session, and sign a commitment form alongside a parent or guardian and district leadership.

While enrolled, students must complete at least one Teaching and Learning Career Pathway course each year of high school and earn a grade of C or better in all coursework paid for by the dual credit scholarship.

School districts also carry responsibilities under the bill. To participate, districts must partner with one or more postsecondary institutions, ensure dual credit coursework transfers directly into teacher education programs, and—critically—offer program graduates a guaranteed teaching position if a vacancy exists once the student earns Kentucky teacher certification.

That job guarantee transforms the apprenticeship pathway from an academic exercise into a true workforce development strategy.

Addressing Rural Teacher Shortages and Brain Drain

Sen. Higdon has pointed to the success of existing grow-your-own programs in his district as evidence that the model works. For many rural communities, the challenge is not a lack of talented young people—it is the loss of those students to larger cities or other states after graduation.

By creating local pathways that begin in high school, SB 22 seeks to reduce that “brain drain,” keeping aspiring educators connected to their hometown schools, families, and communities throughout their training.

The approach reflects a broader shift in education policy: treating teacher preparation not just as a higher education issue, but as a long-term workforce pipeline that requires early investment and sustained local partnerships.

What Happens Next

Senate Bill 22 has been introduced in the Kentucky Senate and is currently awaiting committee assignment in the Kentucky General Assembly. If advanced, the legislation would formally integrate registered teacher apprenticeship programs into the state’s dual credit scholarship framework, setting the stage for expanded participation beginning in the 2027–28 school year.

For Kentucky students who already know they want to teach—and for communities eager to educate the next generation with homegrown talent—the bill represents a practical, forward-looking investment in the future of public education.