Florida’s Commissioner of Education, Anastasios Kamoutsas, has announced an additional $1.6 million investment in the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grow Your Own Teacher Grant (PCOG GYO). This brings the total funding for the program to $15 million. The grant is intended to expand a no-cost teacher apprenticeship program across Florida, providing new routes for aspiring educators.
The PCOG GYO program emphasizes practical experience by offering hands-on learning opportunities. Aspiring teachers work directly in classrooms under the supervision of experienced educators, rather than relying solely on traditional coursework. The goal is to develop a well-prepared pipeline of teachers for schools throughout the state.
“When we invest in future educators, we invest in the success of every classroom across Florida,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “The Grow Your Own Teacher Grant supports aspiring teachers on their path to enter the profession, ensuring Florida schools have teachers that are well prepared and committed to helping students succeed.”
This year’s funding will be distributed among several institutions during 2025-26. The expansion continues efforts begun with Governor Ron DeSantis’ establishment of the Teacher Apprenticeship Program through HB 1035 in 2023.
Further information about the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grow Your Own Program can be found at www.fldoe.org/pathwaysgrant.
