Many districts are facing increasing educator shortages. Indiana is working to enhance efforts to “attract, prepare, and retain” educators with a multi-pronged approach. One innovative strategy is funding a Grow Your Own pilot in rural Whitley County Consolidated Schools. This presentation will discuss the research around GYO programs as a recruitment and retention strategy, and share information and resources about this GYO program and IDOE’s other efforts to “attract, prepare and retain” teachers, as well as engage participants in sharing ideas on how they are tackling teacher shortages with their own efforts to “attract, prepare, and retain” teachers in their schools and districts.
Rebecca Estes, Ph. D., serves as Indiana Department of Education’s Senior Director of Educator Talent. In this role, Dr. Estes leads initiatives focused on Indiana educators’ talent, quality, and value.
Lori Heuer, M.S., is the Director of Talent Development for Whitley County Consolidate Schools and leads the Grow Your Own pilot program. She has been an educator for over 20 years at WCCS.
Dr. Mattson has over 40 years of experience working with states and districts on implementing research-based practices to improve the recruitment, preparation, and retention of the educator workforce.
Kerry Hoffman, Ph.D., is the Indiana Co-Coordinator for the Region 8 Comprehensive Center. She supports IDOE in their Teacher Pipeline efforts to attract, prepare, and retain Indiana educators.