Journey into Teaching Academy: A Professional Development Initiative for Selected Second-Year, Provisionally Certified Special Education Teachers

Description:

The Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE’s), Department of Special Education and Student Services is announcing its fifth cohort of the Journey into Teaching Academy. The Academy is a yearlong professional development initiative for teachers completing their second year of teaching by the end of the 2022-2023 school year (SY) and entering their third year of teaching during the 2023-2024 SY as a provisionally licensed special education teacher.

In Virginia, special education is considered the number one critical shortage area for teachers. The Journey into Teaching Academy is designed as a program to provide teacher support beyond mentorship to enhance the retention, as well as the overall performance of provisionally licensed special education teachers.

This year-long initiative (May 2023-May 2024) will include:

• A two-hour virtual orientation on May 18, 2023, 4:30-6:30 p.m.,
  
• The Summer Academy, July 24-27, 2023, at the Virginia Tech/University of Virginia Center (located at 2810 Parham Road, Richmond, Virginia 23294). The Summer Academy will meet daily 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Additional Saturday workshops will be held during the 2023-2024 SY on October 14, 2023, February 17, 2024, and April 20, 2024, at the Virginia Tech/University of Virginia Center.
• Selected participants will receive a $1,000 stipend for successful completion of the Summer Academy and any other relevant activities