GYO Development Process
Grow Your Own (GYO) programs range from informal to formal, from extracurricular to academic, from short-term to long-term. The purpose of this guide is to provide an array of these GYO program options, suggestions, and inspiration for LEAs to select from and shape to meet their individual needs. GYO programs are also buildable and are presented in this section from least to most comprehensive. For example, a Local Education Agency (LEA) could:
- Create an early recruitment pipeline in the form of a Take a Look at Teaching (TALAT) club, or
- Add education courses to dual credit courses currently offered in other subject areas, or
- Create an articulation agreement with a university partner to offer a series of education courses for students to complete in preparation for their application to one of the university’s education programs, or
- Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with neighboring LEAs, a community organization, and a local institution of higher education (IHE) as a consortium with a network vision for an educator pipeline.
Deciding where to start is dependent on a LEA’s needs and interests. Deciding where to go once a GYO program is established should be based on program data, feedback, and evolving needs. To guide LEAs through this progression, there is a three-phase cyclical process that can be followed in the development and sustainability of all GYO programs:
Design
- Determine the immediate and projected needs in filling LEA educator positions. Be sure to consider all educational levels and roles. (See GYO Entry Points: Needs Assessment & Network Inventory, as well as GYO Tools and Resources: Needs Assessment)Ìý
- Establish or redefine existing partnerships with P-12 schools, teachers’ unions, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), IHEs, and community organizations.Ìý(See GYO Entry Points: Partnerships, GYO Entry Points: Needs Assessment & Network Inventory, as well as GYO Tools and Resources: Network Inventory)Ìý
- Outline GYO program featuresÌýsuch as program structure (academic, extracurricular, or both), curriculum, activities, and events. (See all GYO Entry Points sections)
- Recruit GYO candidatesÌýfrom current employees, students, and/or community members, depending on the GYO program structure(s) in development (See GYO Entry Points: Recruitment).
Implement
- Provide academic, financial, and social support to GYO candidates on their individual paths into education and mentorship during their inductive years.
Evaluate
- Collect feedbackÌýfrom current candidates, program alumni, and partners. (See GYO Program Sustainability: Candidate and Partner Feedback)
- Track current and alumni candidates’ progress throughout the program and beyond. (See GYO Program Sustainability: Candidate Tracking)
- Continuously adjust the GYO program design(s) as needed based on feedback and tracking data.
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