The research being conducted results from the teacher shortage in the Appoquinimink School District, across the State of Delaware and across the United States. There is an alarming teacher shortage in the United States causing a crisis in many states and local school districts. Low enrollment in postsecondary teacher preparation programs, and even lower program completion rates from these programs, make it difficult for school districts to hire qualified teachers. As a result, many teaching positions are left vacant or filled with unqualified substitutes. Furthermore, once the positions are filled, there is an additional challenge in retaining those teachers. Research finds that low salaries, lack of professional support, and antiquated postsecondary teacher preparation programs are some of the contributing factors. Through the continued development and implementation of a "Grow Your Own program," the teacher shortage can be alleviated at the local and state levels. This research focuses on the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway named the K12 Teacher Academy, which creates a pipeline from high school to post-secondary education programs in the hope of bringing students back to the community to teach. The research suggests by expanding the K12 Teacher Academy into middle school CTE programs; students will be more prepared to choose the pathway in high school and continue onto a postsecondary education program before returning to the home district as professional teachers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]