Texas State University - San Marcos is a former teachers' college (the alma mater of President Lyndon B. Johnson) and produces more teachers than any other university in the State of Texas. Yet, like most universities in the United States, Texas State has produced very few physics teachers. The physics department at Texas State is set on changing that trend, through a number of new initiatives. As of Spring 2012, The Learning Assistant program has been piloted in one course and will rapidly expand over the next few years to serve more introductory physics students, including those students in courses for future elementary teachers. Other instructional reforms are helping to raise the level of interactive engagement among students and the level of reflection on curriculum and instruction by faculty. The physics department and the College of Education are working together to align degree programs in physics and other STEM fields with various teacher certifications. Greater interactive engagement in the upper division is also helping to send a coherent message to physics majors about the importance of high levels of cognitive feedback between teachers and students during learning.