About This Episode

Season 6. Episode 5.

Across the country, school districts are grappling with the challenge of teacher shortages—and Barstow is no exception. But instead of waiting for solutions to come from outside, Barstow Community College and Barstow Unified School District are taking matters into their own hands with an innovative approach: the Grow Your Own Teacher program.

In this episode of Education Insight, we talk with Carrie O’Neil, Director of the Teachers Pathways Project, and Dr. Jennifer Rodden, Dean of Instruction for Career Technical Education at Barstow Community College. Together, they share how this forward-thinking program is designed to build a sustainable pipeline of educators directly from the community.

Through local partnerships, targeted financial assistance, and real-world classroom training, the program empowers aspiring teachers—whether they are paraprofessionals already working in schools or recent high school graduates—to begin their journey toward becoming credentialed educators. By creating clear pathways and removing barriers, the initiative not only strengthens the teacher workforce but also ensures that local students are taught by professionals who deeply understand their community.

Featured Guest

Dr. Jeff Oldfield

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Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.