Governor Glenn Youngkin Signs Executive Directive to Address Teacher Shortages and Launches Bridging the Gap Initiative

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today new measures to address teacher shortages and recover learning loss. Joined by local superintendents, school board members, state legislators, students, teachers, and parents, Governor Youngkin signed Executive Directive Three: Addressing Teacher Shortages in Virginia Schools and launched the Bridging the Gap Initiative at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford County.

“I was thrilled to be at Colonial Forge High School today to launch these transformational education initiatives,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Children in Virginia have suffered the disastrous effects of COVID-related school closures; initiatives like Bridging the Gap and my executive directive to address the teacher shortages are necessary to get and keep students on track.”

Executive Directive Three: Addressing Teacher Shortages in Virginia Schools will:

-Let high-quality teachers teach, especially by expediting teaching and renewal licenses whenever possible.

-Build the K-12 teacher pipeline with an innovative, no-cost apprenticeship program. 

-Target teacher recruitment and retention efforts in communities and subject areas most in need.

-Connect teachers with child care options and build the early childhood educator pipeline by training high school students as childcare specialists.

-Collect and provide accurate, timely data on teaching positions, including information on what is working for teachers and what is not, so that we can better recruit teachers, retain teachers, and address shortages when they occur.

“Parents and teachers matter,” said Governor Youngkin. “This directive is a comprehensive approach with multiple solutions to ensuring every student has a great teacher in the classroom.”

The Bridging the Gap Initiative was also launched today in partnership with 15 school divisions. It is a critical piece of our efforts to restore educational excellence to Virginia’s public schools through individualized data, Personalized Learning Plans, and training to cultivate partnerships between teachers, parents, and students. 

“We must empower students, parents and teachers with timely, actionable and tailored data, as well as the tools and training to use that data to address learning gaps together,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera. “This transformational effort uses data as a flashlight to change conversations, decisions, actions and, most importantly, results.”

 Click here to read more.