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District updates board on 'Grow Your Own' teacher pipeline; scholarships and college pathways planned
Summary
Austin Public Schools presented progress on a federal/state-funded Grow Your Own teacher pathway. The program — funded through a 5-year grant running 2023–2028 and worth roughly $750,000 — supports high-school students and adults pursuing teaching careers with college visits, scholarships, electives and mentorships.
Austin Public Schools staff updated the board on the district’s Grow Your Own teacher program, a multi-year effort to recruit and support prospective teachers from the community and diversify the teacher pipeline.
Colleen Owens, the district’s future-teacher coordinator, told the board the program now claims roughly 58 students engaged in some way and 27 officially signed members of the high-school club; attendance at meetings has ranged from about 12 to the mid-20s. Owens said the program supplements classroom observation with college visits, volunteer placements, summer experiences and an education elective being offered for the first time this year at Austin High School.
Program leaders said the Grow Your Own student pathway is part of a larger grant package that includes an adult pathway. Sherry (last name given in meeting as Sherry) described the adult pathway, designed to fund and mentor paraprofessionals and other local candidates to earn special-education licensure. That adult pathway includes full funding for tuition, books and fees for selected candidates and partnership arrangements with several universities and regional partners. The presenters said the district currently has four adult-pathway participants enrolled through the regional consortium.
Presenters noted the grant — identified in the meeting as nearly $750,000 — funds scholarships (the largest planned use), career exposure, college application support, family engagement, and elective coursework. Staff said a second annual signing ceremony recognizing students who commit to a pathway will be held May 5.
No board action was required. Staff asked the board to continue supporting access to college visits, pathway coordination with Riverland and other postsecondary partners, and scholarship disbursement as the grant funds are expended.
Ending: Staff said the Grow Your Own program aims to expand the teacher pipeline and increase workforce diversity; the district will report further as scholarships are awarded and as adult-pathway candidates progress in licensure programs.
