October is “Become a Teacher Month” in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Education this month launched a one-year social media campaign to promote the teaching profession and steer potential classroom educators to information about  the state’s multiple pathways to becoming a licensed teacher.

The “Become A Teacher” campaign is part “Turning the Tide,” a multiyear and multipronged strategic plan developed by VDOE to address teacher shortages in the commonwealth. The campaign and strategic plan are aligned with the goals of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Directive Number Three: Addressing Teacher Shortages in Virginia Schools.

The campaign includes targeted advertisements on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn highlighting the teaching profession and the difference teachers make in the lives of their students and communities.

“The Become A Teacher campaign and Turning the Tide reflect extensive research — including interviews with teachers, career-switchers and students enrolled in teacher preparation programs — to identify state-level policies and best practices to strengthen the teacher pipeline and keep teachers in the classroom,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said. “Our goal is to ensure that every child in the commonwealth is taught by a qualified teacher.”

The ads direct social media users to the Become A Teacher campaign website. The website includes an interactive quiz that connects potential teachers with information about the pathways to licensure — including career switcher programs, reciprocity with other states and teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities — most aligned with their educational and professional backgrounds.

The Become A Teacher website also includes links to information on financial supports and incentives available for aspiring and current educators, and an interactive Virginia map that allows visitors to search current employment opportunities by region and school division.

The Become A Teacher campaign is supported by $1 million in federal pandemic relief funding awarded Virginia for state-level efforts focused on educator recruitment and retention.

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