At the CEEDAR National Convening, Joe Pirraglia, Director of Principal Preparation Programs, from CLEE joined Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and representatives from North Dakota Department of Public Instruction to present on how registered apprenticeship models are transforming principal preparation.
Joe highlighted Rhode Island’s Registered Apprenticeship Principal Program (RIRAPP), developed in partnership with RIDE. RIRAPP allows aspiring leaders to complete CLEE’s Principal Residency Network (PRN) while serving as assistant principals – earning, learning, and leading simultaneously. This innovative model addresses leadership shortages by embedding preparation in authentic school-based roles and aligning competency-based learning with workforce needs.
During the state panel, Joe shared the rationale behind launching RIRAPP, including pipeline challenges and the need for more practice-based, equitable preparation models. Joe also discussed how the apprenticeship structure strengthens leaders’ capacity to support each and every student, especially students who have been historically underserved, through job-embedded learning, mentorship, and demonstration of aligned performance competencies.
The session concluded with table-based discussions, where participants engaged directly with Joe and state leaders to explore implementation strategies and next steps for their own contexts. CLEE’s participation reinforced Rhode Island’s role as a national leader in advancing high-quality, registered principal apprenticeship pathways.
