Over the years, New America has shared the stories of educators who took unconventional journeys into the teaching profession. We shared the experience of Liliya Stefoglo, who worked as a multilingual paraeducator for 10 years before her school principal recognized her exceptional instructional skills and supported her in becoming a teacher.¹ We described how Yazmin Gil became a kindergarten teacher after spending eight years pursuing her certification at three different schools.² We also charted the path of Ramiro Acosta, an experienced parent coordinator, who was able to earn a bachelor’s degree and teaching certification only after receiving financial support from his district.³

The successes of Stefoglo, Gil, and Acosta are unfortunately rare, but their challenges are common. One major reason is that far too many pathways into teaching cater to “traditional” candidates—those entering a bachelor’s degree program in education soon after completing high school. These programs expect teacher candidates to enroll in classes full time and commit several months to unpaid student teaching toward the end of their training. But many aspiring teachers—particularly those who are racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse —are far from traditional: they are caretakers, heads of household, and career switchers. A good number of them come from low-income backgrounds.⁴

Non-traditional candidates can bring many assets to schools, including cultural competencies, language skills, instructional experience, and commitments to their local community. But getting these gifted candidates into the classroom will require developing teacher preparation pathways that reduce unnecessary barriers and provide comprehensive supports. Fortunately, Stefoglo and Gil’s home state of Washington, along with other states, is investing in Grow Your Own (GYO) programs that offer accessible, affordable, and well-articulated pathways into teaching. This report offers insights into how states are using competitive grants to expand and bolster these programs.

GYO programs are supportive pathways into the teaching profession for local candidates who aspire to teach in their communities. A recent nationwide scan by New America confirms that there is no universal model for these programs.⁵ Whereas some encourage middle and high students to pursue education majors, others help adults with ties to schools (e.g., paraeducators, uncertified school staff, substitutes, and community members) obtain their teaching certification and often a bachelor’s degree, which is required to teach. GYO programs typically involve partnerships between districts and institutions of higher education, both universities and community colleges. Some follow the “2 + 2” model,⁶ allowing candidates to begin their teacher preparation at community college and complete it a four-year institution. These programs can usher candidates through traditional teacher preparation programs,⁷ alternative route programs⁸ based at institutions of higher education (IHEs), or alternative routes not based at IHEs.⁹ Sponsors can also differ: programs can be initiated by universities, schools, districts, states, or multiple partners. Additionally, GYO programs can adopt elements of teacher residency¹⁰ or apprenticeships,¹¹ both of which emphasize clinical experience and mentorship (see: "Varied Elements of GYO Programs" below).

While there is considerable variation in the strategy and design of GYO programs,¹² what distinguishes them from other pathways is who they recruit and how they support their candidates. Any program designed to open the door of opportunity to homegrown candidates who may need extensive services and flexibility to earn their teaching credential, and often an undergraduate degree, can be considered a GYO program. A second distinguishing feature is close partnerships between districts and universities that help reduce structural barriers that have historically shut these candidates out of the profession.¹³

Rather than expend resources to bring teachers from outside of the community into the classroom,¹⁴ GYO programs use funds to build local expertise and offer career advancement opportunities to local talent. Indeed, the guiding philosophy of GYO programs is to recruit and prepare teachers from the community for the community. This community-rooted approach yields a range of benefits.

One major contribution is helping schools improve the demographic match between students and teachers.¹⁵ While traditional pathways into teaching attract predominately white, female, and monolingual teachers,¹⁶ GYO programs recruit from untapped pools of local candidates who reflect student demographics. There are many reasons this is a good idea: racially and ethnically diverse teachers tend to be rated highly by students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds,¹⁷ and research has shown that the benefits of same-race teachers include better test scores,¹⁸ college-going rates,¹⁹ and disciplinary outcomes.²⁰ At the same time, bilingual teachers allow schools to scale up bilingual instructional programs,²¹ which are uniquely beneficial to English learners.²² When coupled with broader efforts to invest in under-resourced schools and improve working conditions,²³ recruiting a more diverse workforce is worth the investment.

GYO programs also have the potential to reduce teacher turnover in hard-to-staff schools, which are often those serving students with the greatest need for teacher talent and stability.²⁴ Local talent recruited by GYO programs often have expertise in high-need school environments and the desire to give back to the community to which they have ties.²⁵ Given this, it makes sense that local candidates may be more effective and more likely to stay in local schools. Although more research is needed to gauge the impact of various types of GYO programs,²⁶ early evidence shows that GYO programs that offer strong financial, academic, and social supports have helped districts recruit candidates from their own ranks who remain in the classroom.²⁷ This not only reduces turnover costs,²⁸ but also ensures that students have access to stable in-school relationships and more experienced teachers.²⁹

Finally, GYO programs show promise for moving the teacher preparation system in a more efficient direction. Historically, there has been little coordination between traditional teacher preparation programs and districts, leading to misalignment between the expertise of the teachers produced and districts’ personnel needs. GYO programs break from this mold by encouraging alignment between educator preparation programs and school districts. When strong coordination exists, GYO programs are able to produce educators who are prepared to teach in the geographical areas, subjects, and grades that typically face shortages. Strong partnerships also benefit teachers, who are able to take advantage of a continuum of supports, more time in schools, and coursework that prepares them to meet district expectations. But the ultimate beneficiary is students, who have teachers who are prepared to meet their academic and socio-emotional needs.

While GYO programs are typically established and coordinated at the local level, state decisionmakers can implement competitive grant programs, which provide incentives and policy conditions that bolster programs. Established with the backing of state legislators, state education agencies, local boards of education, and teacher licensing boards, these statewide grant programs are facilitating the development, expansion, and strengthening of GYO programs across the country (see Appendix for an overview).

While existing competitive grant programs differ in their goals, parameters, and requirements, most set criteria that ensure state funds flow to new and existing GYO programs that are well-positioned to institute best practices and deliver desired results. Many programs award priority points to potential grantees who develop clear and carefully constructed budgets, partnership agreements, and goals that align with grant priorities. In some cases, they also give grantees, who typically function in isolation, opportunities to receive technical assistance from state leaders, and learn from other GYO programs in their region or state or state.

To be sure, competitive grant programs have some drawbacks. These programs can unfairly benefit larger districts or universities with grant writers that are better positioned to apply for grant support. Competitive funding that is unpredictable can threaten the sustainability of local programs and, by expanding the recipient pool to new programs, inadvertently dilute funds from existing programs.³⁰ Still, competitive grant programs are helping state leaders promote elements of high-quality GYO programs, such as strong collaboration between stakeholders, sustainable funding models, and data-driven decision-making. Importantly, these grants are also helping states create a more cohesive, statewide GYO strategy.

Over several decades, research has provided valuable insights into what constitutes high-quality teacher preparation. While more rigorous studies are needed, we now understand the benefit of certain features of teacher preparation such as the value of hands-on experiences that closely align with teacher preparation curriculum. GYO programs are well-poised to adopt best practices for teacher preparation while maintaining a keen focus on providing the support and flexibility non-traditional, homegrown candidates need to become certified teachers.

In consultation with our Grow Your Own Advisory Group, New America developed a list of policies and practices that can help strengthen GYO programs. Drawn from our two-page publication “Grow Your Own Programs for Bilingual Educators: Essential Policies and Practices,”³¹ the list below offers seven considerations for developing high-quality programs:

1. Recruit candidates who are reflective of and responsive to the local community
2. Make programs accessible to candidates with and without a bachelor’s degree
3. Provide financial, academic, and social supports
4. Provide sustained funding and promote sustainable funding models
5. Provide paid, supervised, and coursework-aligned work-based experiences
6. Promote collaboration and coordination among GYO partners
7. Strengthen data systems to track GYO program impact

While no state currently has all seven recommendations in place, continuing to adopt these practices will help states strengthen their GYO efforts and thereby produce more well-prepared, homegrown teachers. The following sections explain how states are using competitive grant programs to carry out each of these best practices and how other decisionmakers can follow their lead.

In addition to preparing teachers to fill gaps in hard-to-staff geographic and subject areas, high-quality GYO programs usher greater ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity into the teaching workforce.³² Many programs recruit candidates from middle and high schools, which arguably offer the largest pool of potential future teachers of color.³³ Another common approach is recruiting district employees, such as paraeducators, who more closely mirror student demographics than today’s teachers.³⁴ By recruiting from these pools, GYO programs can cultivate teachers who can boost the attainment of students who share their background³⁵ and are more likely to continue teaching in communities where they have ties.³⁶

While the core work of recruiting a diverse group of candidates must happen locally, state decisionmakers can incentivize it with a thoughtfully designed competitive grant program. First, state leaders should ensure that the recruitment and selection of ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse candidates is a clearly articulated priority in the state statutes, application materials, and resources that shape the grant program. During the grantmaking process, priority points should be awarded to GYO programs that have measurable goals, plans, and a track record of preparing these candidates. Funding should reward programs that recruit paraeducators, secondary students, and other pools of candidates that match the demographic profile of local students. In addition, special consideration should be given to funding GYO programs that include tribal college and minority-serving institution partners, as these programs have a history of preparing Native American teachers and teachers of color.³⁷

State Spotlight

➞ California. The Golden State offers one example of how to successfully invest in recruiting teachers of color by funding a paraeducator pipeline. In operation from 1995 to 2011, the California Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program funded expenses associated with community college, bachelor’s degrees, and teacher preparation for over 2,500 paraeducators, the majority of which were bilingual candidates and candidates of color.³⁸ This strategy was rebooted in 2016–17, with a $45 million investment in a new program, the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program, which competitively funds school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools that support 2,250 school employees in earning undergraduate degrees and teaching credentials. Funding includes $20,000, per participant, to fund tuition, fees, books, and support services. Over half of the current candidates identify as Black or Latinx.³⁹

➞ Minnesota. Through a sweeping bipartisan piece of legislation passed in 2017, the Increase Teachers of Color Act (ITCA), Minnesota provided $1.875 million in grants to expand two types of GYO efforts: dual enrollment courses that encourage high school students to pursue teaching and graduate-level teacher residency programs in school districts that enroll at least 30 percent students of color.⁴⁰ Importantly, the state’s goal of reaching parity between student and teacher demographics is explicit in the ITCA. Entities receiving state funds are “strongly encouraged” to recruit American Indian candidates and candidates of color, and they are required to annually report how many of these candidates participate in the program. Subsequent changes proposed to ITCA in 2018, 2019, and 2020 have aimed to expand funding eligibility to GYO programs that enroll candidates seeking a bachelor’s degree. Another proposed change calls for eliminating the threshold percentage of students of color that a district partner is required to have, to ensure limited state funds are directed to teacher candidates of color regardless of the percentage of students of color in a district. However, none of these changes have passed the full legislature.⁴¹ While it is still early to tell whether the state’s investments will pay off, the ITCA is good example of how to enshrine the goal of improved teacher diversity into authorizing language that undergirds statewide GYO programs.

In addition to recruiting candidates of color, high-quality GYO programs aim to prepare culturally responsive teachers⁴² who improve conditions in their local schools and communities.⁴³ University partners typically have legal responsibility for teacher preparation curriculum in GYO programs and some use this discretion to develop coursework that prepares candidates to affirm and draw from students' home languages, cultural backgrounds, and personal experiences.⁴⁴ Some district partners also play a role by ensuring GYO candidates have access to relevant district professional development while they work as non-certified staff.⁴⁵ National programs such as Educators Rising, which recruit secondary students, have developed curricula that help ensure aspiring teachers value student diversity.⁴⁶

State decisionmakers can incentivize and support this work by making the preparation of culturally responsive teachers a priority area during the grant-making process. For example, state leaders should reward programs that have goals, plans, and a track record of embedding culturally responsive practices into their curriculum. In some cases, legislators can also propel programs to revamp their curriculum. For example, Washington lawmakers charged a state agency with updating the curriculum of high school courses for aspiring teachers so that it better incorporates standards of cultural competence.⁴⁷ While it did not pass, a bill recently proposed by U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Alabama), which aimed to provide grants for GYO programs, would have required that these programs integrate “curriculum and coursework with principles of culturally responsive education woven throughout, in addition to a scaffolded sequence of coursework explicitly teaching culturally responsive pedagogy”⁴⁸ (see: "What is the federal role in funding GYO programs?" below).

Across the country, the vast majority of states have opened the door to alternative certification routes, which allow individuals without a traditional teaching degree to enter the profession.⁴⁹ Because teachers of color are about twice as likely to participate in these routes than their white peers,⁵⁰ alternative pathways that are equal in rigor to traditional programs⁵¹ provide a vital route into the profession. However, few alternative pathways focus on recruiting homegrown talent or prospective teachers who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree.⁵² Because many teachers of color start their teaching careers at community colleges,⁵³ there is a need to develop clearly articulated pathways that support homegrown teachers through their associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and teaching credentials.⁵⁴ While it may take more time and resources to prepare candidates without bachelor’s degrees, these investments pay their full dividend when these candidates reflect student demographics, fill hard-to-staff areas, and remain in local schools.

State leaders should create competitive funding streams for GYO programs that help candidates earn a bachelor’s degree in addition to their teaching credentials. State leaders should also make “2+2” programs, which offer well-articulated ladders to four-year universities, eligible for funding.⁵⁵ Also worth investing in are secondary-level GYO programs, particularly those that give high school students access to university coursework.⁵⁶ In addition to providing funding for programs, state leaders should consider expanding teacher alternative certification policies to create pathways for candidates who do not have bachelor’s degrees but do have an associate degree (or some college credit) and significant experience as non-certified instructional staff. This would allow aspiring teachers to earn a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certification while they work in classrooms as instructional support staff, who gradually take on more responsibilities under the supervision of experienced mentors .⁵⁷ To expand access while maintaining quality standards, states might consider piloting performance-based assessments, which allow teachers to earn a teaching certification based on their effectiveness in the classroom.⁵⁸

State Spotlight

➞ New York. With the goal of addressing shortages in hard-to-staff areas and diversifying the state’s teacher pipeline, New York’s Teacher Diversity Pipeline Pilot provides $500,000 in competitive funds, over five years, to partnerships that help paraeducators earn a bachelor’s degree and a teaching credential. The program strategically directs resources to support candidates with the greatest need by supporting paraeducators who have not yet earned a bachelor’s or more than 60 college credits. Although a few districts have asked the state’s department of education to consider funding paraeducators with bachelor’s degrees for aid,⁵⁹ officials maintain that “individuals who have already earned more than 60 credits are likely to be further along in the pipeline and thus require less extensive recruitment and academic support, on average.”⁶⁰ The core purpose of the grant program is “to draw into the pipeline individuals who currently lack the resources and academic preparation necessary to become teachers, and provide them the extended support they need to be successful.”⁶¹

➞ Washington. With financial support from the state legislature, the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board has designed the “next generation” of alternative route programs, which more closely align to the GYO model. Through a competitive program, the Alternative Routes Block Grant program, the state provides funding of $420,000 each year (for a maximum of two years), to community-rooted alternate route programs that offer one of four pathways into teaching. One route is exclusively for instructional district staff with associate degrees who are interested in teaching in a shortage area.⁶² Candidates in this route typically earn their bachelor’s degree while they work as paraeducators, giving them an opportunity to bring to life the theory they learn in their coursewrork day to day.⁶³ These programs take a maximum of two years to complete and offer eligible candidates $8,000 each year if they make progress in the program and agree to teach in a public school in the state for four years. In addition to this competitive grant program, Washington offers the Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship, which provides $4,000 per academic year to help graduates of the state’s high school GYO program (the Recruiting Washington Teachers program),⁶⁴ and paraeducators pursue their associate of arts degree.⁶⁵

Non-traditional candidates often face disproportionate obstacles to entering teaching. A lack of access to high-quality K–12 schooling, language barriers, and years away from school can all make it challenging for these candidates to fulfill the coursework and certification requirements necessary to become teachers.⁶⁶ Money is another critical barrier for many aspiring teachers, including a good number of aspiring teachers of color.⁶⁷ To help candidates overcome these barriers, high-quality GYO programs provide tutoring, academic counseling, cohort models, assistance navigating credential requirements, and assessment support.⁶⁸ Helping candidates pass state testing requirements for licensure is of primary concern, given that these assessments disproportionately screen out candidates of color.⁶⁹ In addition, high-quality programs ease the burden of tuition and additional expenses such as books, technology, testing, credentialing fees, transportation, and child care. These programs provide financial support in the form of scholarships and stipends, avoiding reimbursement models that unduly burden candidates who cannot pay up-front costs.⁷⁰ Some programs also ensure that candidates are hired as paid employees at a partner district so they earn a salary and benefits while they obtain their teaching credentials.

Although wraparound supports are organized locally, state leaders can assist by providing scholarships directly to GYO candidates,⁷¹ and offering competitive funds to GYO programs that subsidize tuition and other supports.⁷² When disbursing competitive funds to GYO programs, decisionmakers should prioritize programs that have thoughtful proposals for, and a track record of, offering support services to non-traditional candidates. When dispersing funds to candidates, decisionmakers should consider conditional loans. These loans cover preparation costs with the expectation that recipients will teach in the district or state for a specified number of years, and they are a good way to steer candidates toward work in high-need content and geographical areas, thereby ensuring a return on the state’s investment. However, it is important to recognize that some candidates can fail to fulfill teaching requirements as a result of hiring freezes related to economic downtowns, so leaders should waive requirements or extend the timelines for meeting requirements to account for extenuating circumstances (see: "How could the coronavirus pandemic affect GYO candidates?" below).

State Spotlight

➞ Colorado. The Grow Your Own Educator Program provides competitive funds to help paraeducators earn their bachelor’s degree and teaching credential in exchange for three years of service in a high-need subject area.⁷³ Colorado stands out as an example of how legislators can embed requirements for wraparound supports into legislation that governs competitive grant programs. By statute, districts that receive competitive funding from the state to support paraeducators are required to include these candidates in professional development, training, teacher mentorship, and early-career support through the duration of the program. This is important, given that many schools do not readily include paraeducators in their professional development opportunities.⁷⁴ The same law requires that university partners provide mentoring support throughout the program, including quarterly classroom observations and feedback, analysis of student data, and formal evaluations. However, this program has recently stopped accepting candidates.⁷⁵

GYO programs carry a range of costs, including those associated with candidate supports, administration, infrastructure, and recruitment. Overall expenses can be hard to pin down because programs differ in the degree of support they offer as well as their length, structure, university partners, and the number of candidates they serve. One of the few studies have gauged the price of GYO programs estimates that producing a teacher with a public institution partner costs between $7,380 and $21,713.⁷⁸ Some programs depend on state funds to cover part of this price tag, but available state funds do not meet the level of demand that exists today. In California, for example, applications for over 5,500 spots in the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program were received in 2016, but the state budgeted funds for only 1,000 candidates.⁷⁹

While the need for additional funding is clear, the coronavirus pandemic will likely disrupt state budgets and put teaching positions in danger,⁸⁰ to say nothing of the programs that prepare teachers. Still, GYO programs are a wise short- and long-term investment. In high-quality programs, candidates work in classrooms while they obtain their certification, which means they can support students from their first day in the program. GYO programs are also an investment that pays off in the long run, with educators from diverse backgrounds prepared to meet heightened student needs. With the support of the federal government (see: "What is the federal role in funding GYO programs?" below), state leaders should strive to provide programs with funds that support candidates through their entire experience. Grants that provide funds on a year-to-year basis should be avoided, as they make it difficult for programs to recruit new candidates who are unsure if they will receive financial support through graduation.⁸¹

In addition to contributing funding, state leaders can incentivize more sustainable funding models by promoting cost-sharing among GYO partners. Many GYO programs rely on one source of funding, which can result in programs shuttering or scaling back vital services when this source wanes.⁹² This can be averted if all GYO partners take financial responsibility for building a mutually beneficial pipeline of local teachers, whether by reallocating dollars, reducing costs, or reinvesting savings.⁹³ For example, districts could use existing staff to support GYO programming and use existing budgets to hire candidates as paid employees. They can also reinvest any savings they see as a result of reduced teacher turnover toward providing mentor incentives and other supports. Higher education institutions could help students apply for existing state and federal financial aid assistance and provide discounted tuition, enrollment support, academic advisors. Meanwhile, philanthropic organizations may have the capability to fund student stipends and additional services such as childcare and housing. One way states can support this cost-sharing strategy is by providing matching funds or “last dollar” costs—that is, costs after other sources of local, state, and federal aid have been tapped. Additionally, decisionmakers can set criteria that require aspiring grantees to document the contributions of each partner, whether these are in dollars or in-kind.

State Spotlight

➞ Texas. The Grow Your Own Grant Program competitively awards funds to GYO programs in an effort to increase teacher diversity and quality, particularly in small and rural districts.⁹⁴ The 2019–21 grant cycle funded a certification for more than 170 paraeducators, one-year residencies for almost 100 teacher candidates, and expanded education courses for 52 high schools.⁹⁵ One thing that is notable about this grant program is that state officials require aspiring grantees to demonstrate the ability to sustain their program beyond the grant. State officials ask programs to develop plans for coordinating federal, state, and local resources in a way that supports sustainability.⁹⁶ Application materials also ask grantees to consider how they will ensure their program is “integrated into, be supported by, and provide support for existing LEA or EPP initiatives and/or priorities.”⁹⁷ Promoting the use of multiple, existing resources at various levels ensures that programs are not forced to shutter in the event that one or two sources of funding change.

Teachers say that on-the-job experiences are the most important part of their training,⁹⁸ but some preparation programs require that candidates complete years of coursework before they step into a classroom for required student teaching, which can span from a few weeks to a few months.⁹⁹ Not only is this “clinical experience” often disconnected from what candidates learn in their coursework, but it also typically unpaid and requires that candidates pay their preparation program for the course credits awarded for the experience. This experience has been shown to burden non-traditional candidates with student loans.¹⁰⁰ In contrast, high-quality teacher preparation pathways offer residency-style opportunities under the supervision of a mentoring K-12 teacher, while students complete aligned coursework. In GYO programs, candidates gain hands-on training as paid paraeducators, co-teachers, or afterschool staff. These programs ensure a high level of flexibility, including online courses, that allows candidates to spend more time in schools.¹⁰¹

High-quality clinical experiences must be arranged locally, but state leaders can promote them by establishing a minimum bar for the clinical experiences that state-funded GYO programs provide. For example, state leaders can require that grantees use state funds to offer paid, year-long residencies. Additionally, state decisionmakers who set grant priorities should reward programs that offer meaningful clinical experiences and flexible models for working candidates. State policymakers can also play a role in reducing redundancy in certification requirements for candidates who regularly spend time in schools. For example, if a GYO candidate is gaining classroom experience in their eventual licensure area, policymakers should ensure that it counts toward her certification or degree requirements, including required student teaching hours.¹⁰²

State Spotlight

➞ Texas. The Grow Your Own Grant Program competitively awards grants to programs that offer one of three pathways into the profession, including one that funds a year-long residency for novice teachers.¹⁰³ During the 2019–21 cycle, the program provided funding for almost 100 year-long supervised clinical teaching placements in the schools and communities where candidates intend to teach.¹⁰⁴ Participating candidates receive stipends during their clinical training, which reduces their financial barriers and gives districts access to instructional staff they would not otherwise afford. The state also funds a pathway for over 170 paraprofessionals.¹⁰⁵ Programs that offer this pathway must integrate flexibility and paid work-based opportunities into their model. By statute, they must “allow reasonable paid release time and schedule flexibility to candidates for class attendance and completion of course requirements.”¹⁰⁶

Too often districts and teacher preparation programs operate in silos, leaving teachers to broach the divide between what they learn in their teacher preparation curriculum and the work of teaching. In contrast, GYO programs feature strong collaboration between schools, districts, educator preparation providers, and community organizations which lead to more coherent clinical experiences, a greater number of new teachers who can meet local needs, and a better continuum of supports for candidates from pre-service to in-service. Forging these partnerships is not easy; they require resources and staff who can foster lasting relationships and ensure that programs function with shared goals and responsibilities.¹⁰⁷

Cultivating strong partnerships must happen locally, but state leaders can support by providing funding that allows GYO programs to hire staff who can coordinate efforts between partners. Additionally, state leaders can set clear guidelines, goals, and expectations for formal partnerships. A minimum requirement for grantees should be that they develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which outlines the roles and commitments of each partner across the areas of logistics, data-sharing practices, and fiscal responsibilities. MOUs should also outline common mission goals, benefits, and measurable goals such as the number of racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse candidates a program strives to enroll. To support that requirement, states should share guidance for developing strong MOUs and partnerships. State leaders might also foster partnerships between GYO programs (see: "Why develop partnerships across GYO programs?" below).

State Spotlight

➞ Washington. One of the state’s key efforts to expand GYO programs involves funding alternative route programs that adopt the GYO model through the Alternative Routes Block Grant. This grant program specifically funds partnerships between teachers preparation programs and school districts (or a consortium of school districts) that recruit from their local communities. By statute,¹⁰⁸ an MOU is required between these partners that establishes the following: (1) an indication of commitment and description of the roles and specific duties of each partner; (2) the role of each partner in candidate recruitment, screening, selection, and oversight; (3) the role of each partner in field placement and student teaching; (4) the role of each partner in mentorship selection, training, and support; and (5) a description of how the district intends for the alternative route program to support its workforce development plan and advance its school improvement plans.

While the research into the impact of GYO programs is growing, few robust analysis have been conducted to understand whether these programs are meeting their desired impact, including cultivating a diverse group of teachers who remain in the classroom and are effective in the long term.¹¹² The majority of states that offer competitive grant programs require that grantees collect and report some level of data that provide insight into their success recruiting and training candidates, but data required varies widely across and within states, making it challenging to conduct comprehensive evaluations of individual GYO programs and statewide GYO initiatives.

To make rigorous evaluations of GYO programs more prevalent, state leaders should establish common performance measures that all state-funded programs should report regularly such as data on candidate placement, retention, candidate feedback, and value-added data on students taught by GYO candidates. State leaders should require that grantees enter into data-sharing agreements. Currently, each of these data resides with different GYO partners and ownership concerns can make sharing data a herculean task. State leaders also have the ability to forge practice-research partnerships and earmark funds for evaluating the impact and cost-effectiveness of individual GYO programs and the statewide initiative. Any findings should be published regularly in the form of public-facing reports, websites, or dashboards and be used to implement ongoing improvements of programming. Additionally, state decisionmakers can support the formation of local GYO advisory boards that can regularly help review programs’ data, identify areas where programs struggle or excel, and use that information to alter recruitment strategies, supports offered, and other key program features.

Outside of a competitive program, state decisionmakers should establish a strong foundation for evaluating the impact of GYO programs by developing an integrated data system that connects metrics in the areas of candidate recruitment, retention, preparation, and effectiveness. This system would allow varied teacher preparation pathways, including GYO programs, to understand their graduates’ outcomes and their programs' ability to address shortage areas and recruit ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse candidates. This system should include a unique identifier for GYO candidates that distinguishes these candidates based on the type of program they participate in (e.g., residencies, high-school programs, paraeducator pathways). Creating a more streamlined system for sharing data would also eliminate issues of data collection redundancy faced by grantees who currently have to share data about their programs to meet grant stipulations and again to fulfill other state reporting requirements. Notably, the federal government can also play a role in improving what we know about GYO programs by strengthening the data reporting requirements of educator preparation programs more broadly.¹¹³

State Spotlight

➞ Illinois. The state’s well-known GYO Teacher Education Initiative funds programs that prepare community-rooted, racially diverse teachers to work in hard-to-staff positions and schools. Illinois’ strong focus on data collection and evaluation has provided valuable insights into the success of individual programs and the state’s GYO initiative over time. State law requires that an independent evaluator assess grantees’ effectiveness in preparing and placing new teachers.¹¹⁴ To fulfill this requirement, researchers from the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University visited, conducted interviews, and evaluated data from state-funded GYO programs over several years and shared key recommendations for improvements in a series of public reports.¹¹⁵ More recently, an independent evaluator assessed the impact of former GYO teachers currently working in classrooms and found that they are highly rated by supervisors and colleagues when it comes to building student relationships, understanding the community, and improving student achievement.¹¹⁶

➞ Washington. Among other GYO initiatives, the Professional Educator Standards Board competitively funds alternative route programs that follow the GYO model. By statute, PESB must report the following data on alternative route program participants: (1) the number and percentage hired as certificated teachers, (2) the percentage from underrepresented populations, (3) three-year and five-year retention rates of participants, (4) average hiring rates, and (5) the percentage hired by districts in which participants completed their alternative route programs.¹¹⁷ Notably, the state's disconnected data system has prevented the collection and reporting of some of these required data.¹¹⁸ At the same time, GYO partners were often tasked with reporting data twice: once to fulfill the requirements of the grant program and again to fulfill state reporting requirements. Moving forward, Washington is looking to create a system that connects programmatic, secondary, post-secondary, and educator employment data, which will help it evaluate the long-term success of its various GYO initiatives and reduce redundancies in data collection.¹¹⁹

For many non-traditional candidates, the path into teaching is riddled with bumps and detours. They must pay for increasingly expensive coursework and certification costs, attend classes that conflict with work schedules, and forgo wages to complete unfunded student teaching requirements. These roadblocks can deter valuable local talent—paraeducators, afterschool staff, substitutes, parents, and students—from becoming teachers. The good news is that a number of states are using competitive grants to expand and strengthen GYO programs, which offer more hospitable pathways into the profession for candidates who share the same communities and demographic backgrounds as their students.

The need for such pathways has never been more urgent. School closures prompted by the coronavirus pandemic have stymied student learning, heightening the need for intensive and individualized academic and socioemotional supports. GYO programs are one avenue for preparing the teachers we will need to address these amplified needs. As our colleague Ivy Love recently pointed out, World War II meant nurse shortages, which were met with creative federal initiatives to expedite training so that more healthcare workers were available to meet the heightened need for care.¹²⁰ The preparation of teachers during our own critical time should receive the same enthusiastic response.

New America recently conducted a nationwide scan that spotlights the wide range of GYO programs that exist throughout the country. Drawing from these findings, this report considers state-run competitive grant programs that provide funding to local partnerships that help candidates earn teaching certification and, in some cases, a university degree. This report does not highlight the various states providing scholarships, stipends, or tuition assistance to GYO candidates; more information about these programs can be found in our Grow Your Own Teachers: A 50-State Scan of Policies and Programs.¹²¹ Each description below (in alphabetical order) includes information from state statute and competitive grant program guidance materials.

California

California Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program

In effect between 1995–2011, the program provided competitive funds to school districts, county offices of education, and/or consortia to help paraeducators earn associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and teaching credentials, particularly in the areas of bilingual, special education, or K–3. A maximum of $3,500 per candidate was provided annually for tuition, fees, books, and other costs. Recipients commit to teaching one year for each year they receive assistance.¹²² During 2008–09 mid-year budget negotiations, funds for the program were reduced and the program was absorbed into a flexible block grant made available to LEAs as part of the state’s new Local Control Funding Formula. Enrollment was suspended in 2011.¹²³ In 2016–17, the legislature provided $45 million in funding for the new California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program, ¹²⁴ which provides $4,000, per year, to partnerships helping school employees earn their undergraduate degrees and teaching credential.¹²⁵

Colorado

Grow Your Own Educator Program

The grant program first went into effect in 2018 and is designed to address teacher shortages in rural education (PK–12), world languages (PK–12), mathematics (7–12), science (7–12), and English as a second language.¹²⁶ Grant money can be used by districts or charter schools to help fund paraeducators’ degree completion. To qualify for funding, candidates must exhaust existing federal or state need-based or merit-based financial aid (e.g., college opportunity fund stipend). Districts fund the final two-thirds of credits (candidates come into the program with the first third of credits). For each of the three academic years of employment, candidates are credited with repaying one-third of the tuition paid by the school. This program was discontinued in 2020.¹²⁷

Illinois

Grow Your Own Illinois

In 2005, the legislature allocated $1.5 million to help prepare a pipeline for teachers who can work in hard-to-staff schools.¹²⁸ A year later, another $3 million was allocated in competitive grants for “consortia” (partnerships consisting of at least one four-year institution of higher education, along with teacher preparation programs, school districts, community organizations) that recruited and prepared local candidates. Initially, the GYO initiative consisted of 16 consortiums in high-need communities, which funded a wide variety of activities including recruitment, tutoring services, and tuition assistance.¹²⁹ In 2015, a budget impasse cut funding, which shuttered most programs; a New America nationwide scan of GYO programs identified only five existing programs.¹³⁰ Recently, legislation amended the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Act to change the administering entity from the Board of Higher Education to Grow Your Own Illinois.¹³¹ Amending legislation also added the definition of “dual credit course” and made it possible for high school students enrolled in a dual credit course to be included in teacher education cohorts.¹³²

Massachusetts

Teacher Diversification Pilot Program

The program provides $2 million in competitive funding to GYO initiatives that implement recruitment and retention strategies to help increase the diversity of the state’s teacher workforce.¹³³ Grants can be used for financial support of paraeducators, district graduates, recent college graduates, and provisionally licensed teachers; for tuition assistance to support enrollment in, and completion of, an approved educator preparation program; or for assessment preparation and fees. Districts may also use the grant to provide financial incentives, including loan payment reimbursement, relocation assistance, and signing bonuses, to support local school district recruitment efforts.¹³⁴ Additionally, the grant funds GYO initiatives, including the development of an education-specific pathway for high school students and coordinated support for paraprofessionals in the attainment of a bachelor's degree.¹³⁵ In return for funding, teachers must commit to teaching in a district for a minimum of 4 years and commit to teaching students for racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. The current grant cycle current funds 14 school districts.¹³⁶

Minnesota

Paraprofessional to Teacher Pathway

In 2016, the Minnesota legislature funded ($1.5 million per FY) the Paraprofessionals to Teachers program to support graduate-level teacher residency programs offered by two IHEs and three districts (including St. Paul and Minneapolis). This program offered tuition scholarships or stipends to school district employees or community members with bachelor’s degrees who wanted to earn their teaching certification.¹³⁷ In 2017, the state’s first comprehensive Increase Teachers of Color Act was approved, which made an additional $1.5 million available for any school district with more than 30 percent students of color to partner with approved IHEs to establish residency programs that help candidates with bachelor’s degrees earn their certification.¹³⁸ The other GYO provisions in the Increase Teachers of Color Act that passed in 2017 expanded efforts with $375,000 in new funding for districts and IHEs to develop and offer dual-credit postsecondary course options in schools for "Introduction to Teaching" or "Introduction to Education" courses that encourage secondary school students to pursue teaching.¹³⁹ In 2019, amendment legislation that provided additional funding.¹⁴⁰ Additional amendment legislation was proposed in 2020, which would expand eligibility of state-funding residency programs to candidates without bachelor’s degrees, among other changes, but did not pass.¹⁴¹

New York

Teacher Diversity Pipeline Pilot

The state FY 2019–20 budget set aside $500,000 in competitive funding to GYO programs, over five years, to assist paraeducators without a bachelor’s degree in earning teacher certification, address teacher shortages, and diversify the teaching workforce starting in 2019.¹⁴² Administered by the education department, the program must use funds towards student stipends, academic and non-academic supports, and administrative costs. Grantees must create partnerships consisting of one or more high-needs school districts and an institution of higher education.¹⁴³

Ohio

A state statute authorizes the department of education to establish a grant program that may include supporting the implementation of GYO programs, but the state does not currently provide funding for these efforts.¹⁴⁴

Oregon

Next Generation Educator Recruitment and Development Account

In 2019, the House of Representatives proposed $16.7 million for the Next Generation Educator Recruitment and Development Account to support the expansion of GYO educator pathway programs. Managed by the department of education, it would fund school districts that partner with colleges to recruit diverse candidates, provide culturally responsive mentoring, offer training on cultural competency and social-emotional needs, and secure a commitment of two years from candidates. Funds could be used towards forgivable loans, student stipends, and administrative costs, to be distributed based on the number of participants, and not to exceed $5,000 per participant. The grant program was not signed into law.¹⁴⁵

Tennessee

Grow Your Own Competitive Grant

The state recently launched the Grow Your Own Competitive Grant, which will offer $2 million in funds to create new and expand existing GYO programs preparing teachers in high-need licensure areas. Funding for the program is drawn from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.¹⁴⁶

Texas

Grow Your Own

Administered by the Texas Educational Agency, the grant program is designed to improve teacher diversity and address teacher shortages, particularly in small and rural districts.¹⁴⁷ Starting in 2018, competitive funds are awarded for: (1) training courses at the high school level, (2) partnerships that support paraeducators, aides, and substitutes, and (3) residencies.¹⁴⁸ The 2019–21 cycle funded certification for more than 150 paraeducators, residencies for 100 teacher candidates, and expanded education programs for 52 high schools.¹⁴⁹

Washington

Alternative Routes Block Grant

Through a 2015 legislative appropriation,¹⁵⁰ Washington offers two-year competitive grants to alternative route programs designed for: (1) district staff (e.g., paraeducators) with an associate degree, (2) district staff with a bachelor’s degree, (3) career changers with a bachelor’s degree, and (4) district staff members with a bachelor’s degree and a limited certificate. Programs must apply as partnerships consisting of at least a teacher preparation program and a school district.¹⁵¹ The Professional Standards Board administers the program and can award $600,000 for 2020–22—about 100 candidate seats per year.¹⁵²