Teacher Retention and Support

Teacher Retention and Support is designed to assist Virginia school divisions in supporting leadership, attracting new teachers to the commonwealth, developing and retaining high quality beginning and experienced teachers, filling teacher needs in critical shortage areas, and ensuring a supportive environment for teaching and learning to occur. This initiative offers opportunities for prospective teachers, beginning teachers, veteran teachers and administrators, and all school divisions in the commonwealth.

Virginia Turnaround Specialist Program
The Turnaround Specialist Program is an executive education and school leadership program designed to develop a cadre of school administrators who are trained to turn around consistently low-performing schools, using principles of both business and education management. The program was developed by the University of Virginia Partnership for Leaders in Education, an initiative of the Darden Graduate School of Business and the Curry School of Education. Administrators who complete the program successfully are eligible to be credentialed in school turnaround management. For more information contact: Connie Fisher, 804-371-7583 or: Connie.Fisher@doe.virginia.gov

Virginia Middle School Teacher Corps
The Virginia Middle School Teacher Corps is designed to reinforce the quality of mathematics instruction in middle schools and help ensure that students receive a solid foundation in mathematics as they prepare to enter high school. The Teacher Corps provides support to attract and/or train highly qualified mathematics teachers for middle schools that have been designated as “at risk in mathematics” by virtue of being Accredited with Warning in mathematics. For more information contact: Connie Fisher, 804-371-7583 or: Connie.Fisher@doe.virginia.gov

Teacher Incentives for Hard-to-Staff Schools
This pilot project is designed to improve student achievement in hard-to-staff schools by attracting and retaining licensed, highly qualified, and experienced teachers through an incentive-based program. The two-year pilot is being conducted in a middle and high school in one rural and one urban school division (four schools total) that meet the hard-to-staff criteria. For more information contact: Connie Fisher, 804-371-7583 or Connie.Fisher@doe.virginia.gov

Job Bank and Electronic Hiring Hall
The Web-based tool allows teachers to post their resumés and school divisions to query for teachers throughout the state, nation, and abroad. For more information contact: Pat Burgess, (804) 225-2096 or Pat.Burgess@doe.virginia.gov

Teacher Mentoring - Virginia Requirements of Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher Mentor Programs in Hard-To-Staff Schools
School divisions in Virginia receive modest funding to support mentoring programs for all beginning teachers. The 2004 General Assembly appropriated supplemental funds for teacher mentoring programs to assist schools designated as hard-to-staff. The purpose of the program is to provide a greater level of support for beginning teachers who enter a challenging environment to reduce the turnover rate. For more information contact: Connie Fisher, 804-371-7583 or Connie.Fisher@doe.virginia.gov