Grow Your Own Pathway
Designed to address West Virginia's critical teacher shortage, Grow Your Own Pathway to Teaching programs provide promising high school students a career path to pursue a career in education.
Benefits
There are many reasons to join the Grow Your Own Program.
- Early start on college.
- Reduced time to complete a bachelor's degree.
- Introduction to the education profession.
- Classroom observations and field experiences before college.
- Core Praxis exam for students in Year 2 (senior year) free of cost.
- Ability to earn salary, benefits, and seniority in residency year.
- Reduced cost (Students receive four tuition free dual credit courses in the 2022-23 year.)
How it Works
The Grow Your Own Pathway gives students a fast-track into the education field through a combination of dual enrollment/Advanced Placement courses and an accelerated pathway. Students can then graduate with a bachelor's degree in just three years.
High School
High School counselors and partnering institution faculty advisors will assist with scheduling, financial aid, testing requirements, etc. to enroll in the teaching pathway. The goal is for students to graduate high school with a minimum of 30 hours of dual enrollment/AP credits, including the four introductory education courses. Participants will enter college classified as a sophomore. During their junior and senior years of high school, students will have the opportunity to spend time in real-time classrooms in their home county schools.
Pilot Counties
Grow Your Own Programs are being piloted in the following counties:
Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Fayette, Grant, Greenbrier, Hardy, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lewis, Logan, Marshall, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Ohio, Pocahontas, Putnam, Summers, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne, and Webster.
Sample Pathway
The following course menu is a guidance template for students participating in the Grow Your Own teaching pathway with the goal to exit high school with a minimum of one year of college credit (24-30) hours toward a Bachelor's Degree in education.
Completion of the Grow Your Own teaching pathway should be listed on the final transcript. Support for Praxis preparation, including practice tests and financial support to cover the cost of testing, is available. For specific information, refer to individual county plans.
Grade | (4 courses) | (4 courses) | (4 courses) | (4 courses) | (4 courses) | (4 courses) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | English 9 | Math I or Algebra I | Earth and Space Science | World Studies or AP Social Studies | World Languages Elective | 1306 Introduction to Education and the Classroom |
| 10 | English 10 | Math II or Geometry | Biology or AP Biology | US Studies Comprehensive or AP US History | The Arts | 1307 Introduction to Child Development |
| 11 | English 11 or AP or Dual Credit English | Math III or Algebra II | Chemistry or AP or Dual Credit Chemistry | Civics or AP Government and Politics | Physical Education | 1308 Introduction to Educational Psychology |
| 12 | AP or Dual Credit English | Dual Credit College Algebra or AP Calculus | Dual Credit Physical Science | AP or Dual Credit Psychology |
| 1309 Introduction to Social Emotional and Behavioral Wellness |
| 1 A minimum of 22 total credits required for high school graduation per WVBE Policy 2510 (counties may require additional credits). | ||||||
| 2 AP or Dual credit can replace any course. | ||||||
Information
For more information about the Grow Your Own Pathway, please contact Dr. Carla Warren at the West Virginia Department of Education.
Resources
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