The North Carolina Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NCACTE) serves as a leading voice in advocacy for over 50 public and private educator preparation providers (EPPs) statewide. These member EPPs are the “teachers of teachers” who work daily to prepare, according to NCDPI’s own teacher performance data, the strongest, most dedicated, and most effective teachers possible.1 However, challenges in the North Carolina educator workforce persist:

Data suggests that EPPs at four-year institutions of higher education (IHE) are most effective. While national enrollment in EPPs not based at an IHE grew by 150% from 2011-2020, students completing those programs declined by 12% during the same period. By comparison, enrollment in IHE-based EPPs declined by 8% from 2011-2020, and the number of graduates prepared increased by 10%.2 EPPs have traditionally been based at NC colleges and universities; however, NC has seen a proliferation of newly approved non-IHE-based EPPs. Meanwhile, NCACTE institutions are innovating to meet North Carolina schools’ needs. EPPs anchored in the public UNC System and private North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities align teacher preparation with initiatives like the Science of Reading and Numeracy and lead ethical integration of generative AI. NC public schools can count on NCACTE members for high‑quality preparation that strengthens student outcomes. Because of this, we advocate for the promotion of enrollment in IHE-based, state-approved EPPs.

New EPP enrollment is decreasing, contributing to growing teacher vacancies. The total number of candidates in the first year of an NC EPP has decreased for the last three consecutive years, with an overall drop of 30.7% since 2021.1 As a result, over 6,200 instructional vacancies existed across NC on the 40th day of the 2023-34 school year.3 Because of this trend, we advocate for supporting innovative efforts that enhance access to high-quality educator preparation programs by:

1. Focusing on outcomes of rigorous EPP preparation by removing barriers to EPP admission requirements such as the Praxis Core.

2. Increasing support of tuition assistance programs (e.g., NC Teaching Fellows, Forgivable Education Loans for Service) by growing the number of eligible EPPs and content areas. This support is especially critical given recent federal policy changes that will impact loan access for graduate education students. 

3. Developing and expanding programs to financially support candidates during the student teaching internship (e.g., stipends, apprenticeship programs).

4. Substantially supporting TA to Teacher tuition assistance so that all interested TAs across North Carolina have access. 

5. Supporting innovative partnerships between public school units, EPPs, and communities such as grow-your-own programs.

Teachers are leaving the profession. NC experienced a total teacher attrition rate of 9.88% in 2023-24. In the same year, fully-licensed beginning teachers with less than three years of experience attritted at a rate of 12.92%. Attrition rates for teachers holding residency licenses (15.34%) and temporary licenses (22.28%) were even higher.3 These differences in attrition rates among teacher populations are especially concerning given that more than 40% of NC teachers enter through an alternative pathway and hold residency or temporary licenses.4 In response to this trend, we advocate for supporting efforts to retain teachers in NC classrooms by: 

1. Funding the NC New Teacher Support Program for all teachers in their first three years of teaching. 

2. Incentivizing teachers to expand their professional expertise (i.e., advanced degrees and certifications, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) by providing state-level tuition support and salary increases upon completion. Research suggests advanced teacher qualifications improve student achievement.5 

3. Increasing teacher salaries to make remaining in the profession attractive and financially feasible. Adjusting for inflation, teacher salaries in NC decreased by 9.6% between 2020 and 2022, the largest drop of any state during the period.6

NCACTE’s strategic priorities, intended to address the above challenges, outline a clear and purposeful path forward, guiding us toward a future where we achieve our mission and realize our vision in educator preparation. By focusing on these strategic priorities, we commit to working together, adapting to changing educational landscapes, and continually striving for excellence in our P-12 public schools.

1. NC EPP Dashboard, NCDPI, 2026.

2. Higher Education-Based Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs, AACTE, 12/1/2022

3. NCDPI State of the Teaching Profession Report, NC SBE, June 2025.

4. NC Teacher Turnover is Down, but the Profession Has Changed, WRAL, 04/02/2025

5. Value-Added Estimates and Evaluation Ratings of Teachers with a Graduate Degree, Bastian, K., 2019

6. K-12 Education Spending Spotlight 2025, Reason Foundation, 11/20/2025