Grow Your Own ECE: Higher Education as an Essential Partner

This brief builds upon the ideas in “Grow Your Own ECE: An Introduction” and “Grow Your Own ECE: Cultivating Community Partnerships,” and is geared towards faculty and leadership at institutions of higher education (IHEs) to encourage working with communities to Grow Your Own early childhood educators. It explores the benefits of IHE-community partnerships in Grow Your Own initiatives, the necessary shifts in policies and practices to support these efforts, and steps IHEs can take to lay the groundwork for successful collaboration. Pair this brief with the “Grow Your Own ECE: Higher Education Reflection Tool” to reflect on readiness and capacity to participate in Grow Your Own programs.