Missouri is doubling down on homegrown educational talent, dispensing $2.5 million in "Grow Your Own" grants across various local education agencies. According to an announcement by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the funding backs an initiative aimed at encouraging community members, from high school students to non-certified school staff, to don the mantle of educators. The premise is straightforward – increase the number of quality teachers and address the glaring statewide shortage.
The DESE’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget is constituting the financial backbone for this effort, with each of the 125 local education agencies (LEAs) standing to receive a $10,000 one-time grant. Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger highlighted the strategic importance of this investment, "Investing in Missouri students and their achievement means investing in our educator workforce — both the teachers serving classrooms today and those that will join the profession in the coming years," DESE reported. "Grow Your Own programs are an important part of continuing to address the statewide teacher shortage, so we are thrilled to be able to provide a second round of funding to support this work at the local level."
School districts have been inventive with these grants. For instance, Parkway C-2 School District's Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty, reportedly stated on DESE in the LEA's application, "Our Grow Your Own program demonstrates sustainability through our Spark! Teaching and Learning Program that began in 2016. We served 58 students from 2016-2021. By the close of the 2024-25 school year, Spark! Teaching and Learning will have served 120 students since 2021. This grant will help continue to strengthen our GYO Program!"
Not to be overlooked, the initiative reaches out beyond the classroom. Dr. Jennifer Hecktor, Superintendent of Northwest R-I School District, noted the broader implications, "Students in our GYO program benefit from real-world education settings both within and outside of our school boundaries," she explained on DESE. "This exposure helps them understand the diversity within their learning environment and prepares them for future roles in education. We are committed to promoting the field of education to our students and the broader stakeholder community."
These grants also extend to higher education, with 15 educator preparation programs and five community colleges receiving funding, inviting a new wave of educators from various walks of life. Applications for these competitive grants were sought by DESE with an obligation for funds to be reimbursed by May 31, 2025, ensuring timely implementation of the programs they are intended to bolster.
