Conclusion

Our scan reveals GYO to be a widespread strategy that has been leveraged in different ways to address teacher shortages and increase the racial and linguistic diversity of the educator workforce. While much variation exists in program design and delivery, states and districts seem unified in the reason for promoting and investing in GYO: the belief that recruiting and preparing teachers from the local community will increase educator retention and give schools well-prepared teachers who are knowledgeable about the needs of students and families in the community.

Over the past five years, states have moved to increase teacher pay and to invest in innovative preparation approaches like GYO, teacher apprenticeship, and teacher residency. These investments have helped move us closer to having accessible and affordable pathways into teaching. Emerging data show that these programs are recruiting high proportions of racially diverse teachers, but we need more research on the design features, costs, and impacts of these preparation approaches on students and communities.

But what we do know is that we cannot overlook the role of community in the development of teachers. We need GYO to help cultivate the assets of the community to build a strong teacher workforce that can help grow the next generation of engaged citizens.