NCGYO and Passage Preparation Partnership Expands Access to Licensure Exam Support
The National Center for Grow Your Own and Passage Preparation™ Partnership is a national effort to remove barriers for aspiring educators and strengthen teacher pipelines across the country. The National Center for Grow Your Own (NCGYO), a leader in community-based teacher development, has announced an exclusive partnership with Passage Preparation, a trusted provider of educator licensure test prep. This collaboration aims to accelerate licensure success for teacher candidates served by state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), and educator preparation programs (EPPs).
NCGYO is committed to preparing and supporting aspiring educators to become certified teachers in their home communities. Through Grow Your Own (GYO) pathways and registered apprenticeship programs, NCGYO helps diversify the workforce and sustain long-term educator pipelines. By partnering with Passage Preparation, NCGYO enhances its ability to offer comprehensive, research-aligned tools that help candidates pass certification exams with confidence.
Passage Preparation is now the exclusively endorsed educator licensure test prep provider for the NCGYO network. The program delivers state-aligned, asynchronous courses developed by experienced educators. These courses feature multimedia lessons, diagnostic tools, practice exams, and real-time progress tracking—all designed to reflect the realities of the P–12 classroom and licensing requirements.
Key Benefits of the NCGYO and Passage Preparation Partnership
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Exclusive Discounts: All NCGYO members gain access to reduced pricing, making high-quality licensure prep more affordable.
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Dedicated Educator Success Managers: Each program or agency receives personalized guidance for implementation and candidate support.
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Passage Preparation Portal: A centralized dashboard gives administrators insight into candidate performance and engagement.
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Live Expert Webinars: Candidates can attend sessions focused on exam strategies, content breakdowns, and test anxiety reduction.
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Access to Teaching Channel: Each user also receives six-month access to a nationally recognized PD video library.
“This partnership represents an alignment of vision and values,” said Nathan Estel, Managing Director of Passage Preparation. “Both organizations are committed to expanding the pipeline of qualified educators. We’re honored to support NCGYO’s groundbreaking work.”
“Our states and districts are constantly asking for licensure support for their apprentices, and we only endorse high-quality providers,” said David Donaldson, Founder of NCGYO. “This partnership ensures our candidates are well-prepared and confident as they enter the teaching profession.”
The NCGYO and Passage Preparation Partnership represents a strategic investment in sustainable educator pipelines—supporting exam readiness and long-term workforce development.
For more information, please contact Nathan Estel, Managing Director, Passage Preparation.
About NCGYO
The National Center for Grow Your Own (NCGYO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides technical assistance to state education agencies, state apprenticeship agencies and local education agencies (school districts) that are interested in launching or expanding “Grow Your Own” (GYO) and/or registered apprenticeship programs for aspiring teachers and principals. These programs are able to address educator shortages while improving teacher quality and retention.
About Passage Preparation
Passage Preparation specializes in providing comprehensive licensure assessment preparation resources designed to bolster teacher confidence and proficiency. These learning resources equip licensure candidates with the knowledge necessary for success on exams and instill in them best teaching practices using methodologies thoughtfully curated to be engaging and aligned precisely with the content covered on the licensure exams. Passage Preparation is part of K12 Coalition, a certified B Corporation helping schools and teachers thrive nationwide. Learn more at passagepreparation.com.
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About the Author: Nathan Estel
