What to Know About ‘Grow Your Own’ Teacher Programs

Many school districts around the country are facing teacher shortages, particularly in areas such as special education, foreign languages, and science and math. At the same time, the existing teaching force – which is overwhelmingly white, in most places – often doesn't reflect the demographics of the student body. To address shortages and increase diversity within the workforce, many states and districts have turned to a specific kind of recruitment: "grow your own" programs.

One Year Later, Educators Applaud Biden’s Landmark Education Funding

Gwenigale is one of 13 fellows in the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) Leadership Fellows Program, which was established thanks to ARP funding and the advocacy of the Iowa City Education Association. The program creates opportunities for students to pursue a career in education.

ICCSD celebrates one-year anniversary of ARPA and 'Grow Our Own' program it helped launch

The Grow Our Own program started in earnest in the months after the funds became available. There are three "pathways" : teacher to administrative staff, support staff to teacher, and student to teacher.

Nash, ICCSD receive grant to recruit, retain teacher education students of color

Amira Nash, associate director of partnerships and programs in the Baker Teacher Leader Center, received one of the University of Iowa’s 2021 Diversity Catalyst Seed Grant Awards for her work on the recruitment and retention of BIPOC teacher education students. Nash won this award in collaboration with Alexei Lalagos and Carmen Gwenigale, both Leadership Fellows in the Iowa City Community School District.

Grow Our Own Program Takes Root

Grow Our Own is a new program that provides our District a way to develop talent from within. This is the first program of its kind in the state of Iowa.

Iowa City Community School District working with students interested in becoming teachers

The Student to Teacher program, which is launching this spring, aims to support students interested in teaching careers, especially students of color. It’s the next step in the district’s Grow Our Own program, a part of its diversity, equity and inclusion plan.