Grow Your Own

Grow your own Illinios is an innovative of community organizations, higher education institutions, and school districts that support parents, community members and professionals in low-income communities to become highly qualified teachers. The goals of the initiative, which will prepare 1,000 teachers by 2016 are:

Create pipeline of highly qualified teachers of color
Improve teacher retention in low-income schools
Recruit for hard-to-staff schools and hard-to-fill positions
Increase cultural competence and community connections of teachers

Grow Your Own Teachers is state law. As of 2007, there are 16 GYO partnerships in Illinois, 8 in Chicago and 8 in other high need areas, supported with state funds.

How GYO works
Consortium. A community organization, a 4-year higher education institution, and one or more school districts or schools form a partnership (a consortium). Community colleges and teachers unions are also likely partners

Cohort. The partnership recruits a group of parents, community members, and paraprofessionals who meet the criteria and want to teach. The GYO teacher candidates form a cohort and, supported by a coordinator, give each other academic, social and emotional support. Higher education classes are offered in the community at times convenient for the candidates, recognizing that most of them work full-time.

Implementation funds. State funds support GYO initiatives.  The consortium writes a proposal to Illinois State Board of Education. Once approved, funds may be used for a cohort coordinator(s), outreach and other costs, tutoring, child care, transportation, and forgivable loans, to cover tuition costs not covered by financial aid. The loans will be forgiven after GYO teachers teach for five years in an eligible school

Consortium Partners

Kenwood Oakland Community Organization
Little Village Community Development Corporation
Illinois State University
Malcolm X College
Chicago Public Schools

GYO Illinois
Ane Hallett, Director
annehallett@sbcglobal.net

Steve Andrews, Resource Coordinator
atmsteve@rcn.com