College of Education and Human Development launches initiative to strengthen Virginia’s educator workforce

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University is kicking off Future Ready Teachers, a new initiative designed to strengthen Virginia’s educator workforce by removing financial barriers, innovating and elevating teacher preparation, and supporting teachers from entry through their early years in the classroom. 

Future Ready Teachers responds to a growing challenge in Virginia and across the nation: Too many aspiring educators step away from the profession—or leave it early—due to cost, limited early-career support, and salaries that often do not align with the cost of living. The result is a teacher shortage that disproportionately affects high-poverty, rural, and high-need schools, limiting PK–12 students’ access to stable, high-quality learning environments. With deep regional partnerships and a strong track record of preparing effective educators, George Mason is positioned to deliver a scalable, high-impact solution. 

“At George Mason University, we believe every aspiring educator deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of financial barriers or the realities of sustaining a career in teaching today,” said Ingrid Guerra-López, dean of CEHD. “Future Ready Teachers reflects our responsibility to address the nation’s teacher shortage by investing not only in access, but in forward-looking innovative preparation, sustained support, and long-term success in the profession.” 

The urgency is clear. Eighty-six percent of U.S. public schools report hiring challenges due to a lack of qualified applicants, with Virginia reporting more than 3,600 teacher vacancies in 2024-25. Each Future Ready Teachers scholar represents a stable classroom and hundreds of students reached over a career, strengthening schools and communities across the commonwealth. 

“Teacher preparation is the cornerstone of educational excellence,” said Audra Parker, director of CEHD’s Office of Teacher Preparation. “When we invest in teachers and teacher preparation, we’re investing in the lives of students who will shape tomorrow’s future.” 

The initiative focuses on three priorities: removing financial barriers, advancing teacher preparation for evolving classrooms demands, and supporting educators beyond graduation. Funds raised will provide full-ride and cost-of-living scholarships and sustain a rigorous model that integrates structured mentorship, a three-year induction program, and preparation for technology-enabled, data-rich learning environments, positioning teaching as a rigorous, future-ready profession designed to attract and retain top talent.  

This comprehensive approach positions Future Ready Teachers as more than a scholarship effort; It is a workforce strategy designed to increase teacher retention, reduce preventable turnover, and strengthen long-term classroom stability.  

“Future Ready Teachers represents a bold commitment to every child, every classroom, and every future,” said Guerra-López. “It is an investment in people and in the long-term strength and stability of our education system.” 

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative, a comprehensive research framework to align university resources, faculty expertise, and educational programs around six interconnected solution areas addressing humanity’s ultimate grand challenge.