Ensuring all students have access to effective educators is a critical part of equity. But teacher shortages and attrition are an ongoing problem, especially in the highest-needs, lowest-resourced schools. Through the Learning Forward Academy, I have spent 2½ years examining the issues of teacher recruitment and retention to understand how the Kentucky Department of Education, where I work, can support efforts to improve them. My work has focused on grow-your-own programs for high school students, an innovative approach to bolstering the teacher pipeline. Kentucky high schools can establish a local teacher candidate pool from their own student body through programs like the Teaching and Learning Career and Technical Education pathway. These programs offer high school students dual-credit opportunities, including educator preparation coursework and co-curricular activities. This