At Dulles International Airport, Chesterfield County Public Schools leaders greeted international educators with smiles and signs as they arrived in July to join Team Chesterfield. For the second year, the school system is partnering with Participate Learning to connect with teachers from Jamaica, Mexico, Guyana and many other countries.
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, a total of 55 experienced teachers from 12 countries will work as full-time educators in Chesterfield County. Each Participate Learning teacher meets Virginia licensure standards, holds a bachelor’s or master’s degree, has at least two years teaching experience and is highly proficient in English.
Participate Learning accepts about 3% of teachers who apply for the international exchange program. This year, more than 21,000 teachers from 35 countries applied and just over 700 were selected. Participate Learning works only with schools in Virginia and North Carolina.