About the GYO initiative

A privately funded Gates Foundation effort from 2016 to 2019, this initiative supported seven districts in the road map region (located along the I-5 corridor, including Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Tukwila, and Seattle) to build an educator workforce that is more racially diverse and representative of district student populations. The grant worked to develop individuals to teach in high need educator shortage areas. To help build a system that would sustain the transformative work of districts, PESB provided grantees with networking opportunities, technical assistance, and coordinated regional support.

Grant objectives

• Address the teacher shortage crisis by tapping into local workforce potential
• Increase the diversity of the educator workforce
• Improve teacher retention in Title I and district-identified priority schools
• Improve the teacher pathway through students, staff, community connections, preparation programs,
  and partnerships

Intended outcomes

• Years one and two: grantees develop comprehensive plans for GYO infrastructure and diversifying their
  educator workforce
• Year three: grantees develop sustainability plans for GYO educator efforts and evidence of an increase
  in diverse educator candidates
• Year four: grantees work collaboratively with their ESD to support GYO efforts, including regional
  marketing, future educator navigation and recruitment, and high-need subject-area preparation program
  coordination.

A regional approach

In June 2019, district grantees decided to pool their remaining resources to support efforts at the regional level through Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD). Road map districts in PSESD’s “GYO collaborative” are working together to create a regional system that will build, honor, and support future educators of color. In 2022, PESB transferred full GYO coordination to PSESD.

Future work will focus on increasing the diversity of the educator workforce and addressing inequities across the educator career continuum — from attracting students of color into the profession, preparing them for the classroom, and developing, supporting, and retaining them as educators. A regional approach supports a GYO vision for all of Washington State. To this end, PESB has been allocated $13.8 million, invested over eight years, from College Spark Washington to spearhead the Leaders in Education Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Racial Justice (LEADER) initiative. Learn more about LEADER.

Additional GYO information

• For grant progress and outcomes, read the GYO educator infrastructure grant report
• For best practices and tools, read the previous Grow Your Own teachers report
• For listing of GYO resources, visit Grow Your Own resources

Contact

For questions regarding the GYO educator infrastructure grant, contact Victoria.Moreland@k12.wa.us.