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CEHD Faculty Receives Grant Supporting Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Special Education Adapted Curriculum
July 13, 2026
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Marci Kinas Jerome, professor in the Special Education Program within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University, has received an award in support of the Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Special Education Adapted Curriculum: Supporting Students with Severe Disabilities and Autism. This initiative, for which Jerome serves as Principal Investigator, is funded by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and U.S. Department of Education.
The goal of the Consortium is to help ensure a steady pool of fully endorsed teachers across Virginia who will be well-qualified to support learners with severe disabilities and/or autism. The program provides training to new full-time preservice candidates and is designed to accelerate credentialing for educators currently teaching under provisional licenses. Members of the Consortium include George Mason University (Consortium leader), Norfolk State University, Radford University, Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University, and Old Dominion University. The Consortium awards a limited number of tuition stipends to qualified applicants every semester.
VDOE emphasizes that funding of the Consortium represents an investment that will strengthen teacher preparation and expand opportunities to earn licensure. The agency states, “These investments are designed to reduce entry barriers into the teaching profession while maintaining high standards for educator quality.”
According to VDOE, Special Education ranks first among the top ten critical shortage teaching endorsement areas for the 2026-2027 school year in Virginia. As Consortium leader, George Mason’s CEHD is well-positioned to address this shortage due to the strength of its teacher preparation programs, and its longstanding partnerships with Virginia state school divisions. The Consortium also benefits from the extensive research conducted by CEHD faculty, which has produced evidence-based practices and interventions proven effective in supporting students with severe disabilities or autism.
The Consortium is focused on ensuring that candidates admitted to the program receive the necessary preparation that will help them facilitate positive outcomes for their students. Admitted candidates take coursework taught by George Mason faculty who are renowned experts in the field of Special Education. In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings of Best Online Graduate Education Programs, George Mason’s Special Education Program was ranked No. 7 nationally in the category of “Best Online Master’s in Special Education.” This latest ranking marks the third consecutive year the program has placed among the nation’s top ten in this specialty. This accomplishment reflects the dedication and commitment demonstrated by CEHD Special Education faculty in training and educating future and current professionals to make a lasting difference in the lives of learners with disabilities—a commitment that directly benefits Consortium candidates.
More information on the Consortium may be obtained by contacting George Mason’s Special Education Program.