Organization: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Program: Teacher Quality Partnership
HRI Role: Evaluation
Project Description
The UNC Charlotte Teacher Residency Program project involves teacher educators from the Cato College of Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) and grades 6–12 practitioners from two partnering school districts: Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools. The project’s overarching goal is to diversify the STEM teacher workforce and increase teacher retention in nearby high-needs schools. Teacher candidates complete an initial licensure program consisting of 16 credits of online coursework and a year-long residency with a supervising mentor teacher. Next, they complete a 14-credit advanced licensure program that leads to a master’s degree in teaching. The project uses a cohort-based model, and teacher candidates receive a living wage stipend and teach full-time in the partner high-needs schools for a minimum of three years while receiving ongoing induction support.
Evaluation Services
HRI’s evaluation includes giving formative feedback on the project’s recruitment process, residency model, and induction and retention efforts. HRI is also examining impacts of the project on teacher candidates’ (1) preparation, (2) performance, and (3) classroom instruction, as well as impacts on filling teacher vacancies and retaining highly qualified teachers in the partnering high-needs schools.
