Tennessee’s Grow Your Own teaching program grows larger

The Tennessee Department of Education announced two additional educator preparation providers (EPP) are now available to provide teacher apprenticeships through the state’s Grow Your Own (GYO) initiative.The University of Memphis will offer a bachelor's teacher apprenticeship pathway and Arete Memphis Public Montessori will offer a licensure-only pathway through Grow Your Own.TDOE says these additions will help bring additional educator talent to the state to increase high-quality academic opportunities for Tennessee students.“Educators statewide work hard to advance students’ academic outcomes and ensure future readiness, inspiring their growth and achievement every day,” said TDOE Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Continuing to add Teacher Apprenticeship models across the state helps us continue to strengthen and sustain the state’s educator pipeline through expansions of these trusted programs for educators.”In addition to the previously approved 7 EPP programs, Tennessee now has 9 total approved EPP programs, offering registered teacher apprenticeships to 30+ districts and serving 200+ candidates. TDOE says these additions builds on the nearly 650 candidates served through the initial 65 district/EPP partnerships that started in 2020."The GYO Program will positively impact the apprentices who participate as well as our district partners,” said Dr. Nichelle Robinson, Director of Teacher Education and Clinical Practice, University of Memphis. “Each cohort of apprentices will build bonds with each other and our UofM College of Education faculty as they receive the supports needed to become teachers who will positively impact student learning. We will see the teacher pipeline grow over time as apprentices return to their community as highly effective classroom teachers familiar with their districts and the students those districts serve."“At-risk students in Tennessee need access to more quality teachers to help them flourish,” said Bob Nardo, Executive Director, Arete Memphis Montessori Residency. “The GYO Apprenticeship makes high quality, on the job teacher formation more affordable and accessible for promising candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. GYO will be instrumental as we double the diversity and triple the number of educators prepared to provide a rich and rigorous public Montessori education.”Tennessee was the first state to be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to have Teacher Apprenticeship programs between school districts and EPPs.