The Grow Your Own Teachers (GYO) initiative is an innovative partnership of community organizations, higher education institutions and school districts that supports parents, community members and paraprofessionals in low-income communities to become highly qualified teachers.
GYO at NEIU currently has a partnership Chicago Public Schools and six different community-based organizations including:
- Action Now Institute
- Enlace Chicago
- Kenwood Oakland Community Organization
- Logan Square Neighborhood Association
- ONE Northside
- Southwest Organizing Project
The outcomes GYO is achieving:
- A pipeline of highly effective teachers of color
- Improved teacher retention in low-income schools
- Improved cultural competence and community connections of teachers
- Improved academic achievement of low-income students
