Note: the last GYO Planning Grants were made in FY 2007, and it is unclear when there will again be sufficient funding for expansion. But GYO Illinois is committed to helping communities apply for Planning Grants through these processes when funding becomes available:
Consortium formation
A planning grant requires the nucleus of a Grow Your Own Teachers Consortium - a community organization, one or more school districts serving low-income communities, and a college or university that can grant degrees which qualify as the basis for teacher certification. GYO Illinois can help you find partners and develop the content of a proposal that fits the context; and if your consortium is awarded a planning grant, GYO Illinois will provide support, including onsite training, on the strategic planning and budgeting tasks required to prepare a full proposal.
Research Assistance
To demonstrate eligibility for the Grow Your Own Teachers program, a potential consortium should demonstrate need by identifying schools in the participating district(s) that have specific characteristics:
**Substantial numbers of low-income students
**Divergence between the racial diversity of teachers and that of students
**A large number of positions unfilled or filled by less than "highly qualified" teachers in specific subject areas.
Grow Your Own Illinois has developed data resources for every school in the state for these and other related issues using state data sources such as the Teacher Service Record (TSR). For further information, or to request a profile of your schools, send an email or call Steve Andrews, 312.676.4274.
