South Dakota’s Teacher Apprenticeship Model with Dr. David DeJong

In this episode of Evidence in the Wild, I sit down with Dr. David DeJong, Dean of the College of Education at Dakota State University and one of the key architects of South Dakota’s teacher apprenticeship program. We talk about how the SD TAP model came to life, why it matters, and what it's teaching us about expanding the teacher pipeline.

David shares early insights from the program, including what’s working, how mentors support apprentices in the field, and how South Dakota is thinking about sustainability and long-term impact. If you're interested in grow-your-own pathways, this conversation is a great place to start.