As K–12 student populations become increasingly diverse, early-career teachers are expected to implement culturally sustaining pedagogical (CSP) practices while navigating a political climate in which equity-centered instruction is often contested. Although communities of practice (CoPs) have been widely studied as models of professional learning, less is known about how virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) influence early-career teachers’ confidence in enacting CSP. This study examines how participation in a university-based virtual induction support program shaped teachers’ reported confidence and identifies which program structures most strongly supported that development. Grounded in Situated Learning theory and Legitimate Peripheral Participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991), this critical qualitative study conceptualizes confidence as an outcome of scaffolded participation within socially mediated professional learning environments. Using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), data were collected through surveys and two rounds of semi-structured interviews with four early-career K–12 teachers participating in a virtual community of practice hosted by a large public university in the southeastern United States. Findings indicate that confidence growth was most consistently associated with highly interactive and relational formats. Weekly small-group collaboration and one-on-one mentoring provided scaffolded feedback and protected rehearsal spaces that supported movement from peripheral observation toward instructional action. Monthly large-group sessions reinforced shared commitment to CSP, though their impact varied depending on relational entry points. Participants reported strengthened confidence in implementing high academic expectations and cultural competence, while critical consciousness development was less consistently supported. These findings suggest that intentional design—not modality alone—shapes the capacity of virtual professional communities to cultivate CSP confidence.