Teaching Fellows

I am very proud to say that I am a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. I believe when I submit a resume to a school and they see Teaching Fellow at the top, I get moved higher up in the pile. I married a Teaching Fellow. I have a lot of friends that are Teaching Fellows. My very best friends (except an honorary one!) are Teaching Fellows. I teach next door to a Teaching Fellow.


The program is incredible. For those of you that don't know about the program, it is funded by the state and awarsd the recipients $26,000 for college that gets repaid with 4 years of service teaching in North Carolina (or with a payback at 10% interest!). After graduating you come out so far ahead and with some many more experiences than someone graduating with their education degree alone. I felt so much more confident and ready to be in a classroom. I spent hours and hours in classrooms and with students. We had traveled the state and seen different schools in different cities. We got to see how things work. We had to complete things that we would not have completed otherwise. I completely feel like I am the teacher I am today because of the Teaching Fellows program. Not to mention that it allowed to get through school at a time when my parents very much appreciated me finding money for college.

Every year I help do mock interviews for students at my high school that are going to apply for the Teaching Fellows scholarship. I see these high school kids that are excited about teaching and nervous about their interviews because for some of them, this will be their only chance at going to college.

With all the money issues going on around this world, the state has decided to stop funding the Teaching Fellows program. They believe it has 'run its course' and that we no longer need this program. They are going to complete their obligation through the current high school seniors that have been awarded the scholarship, but after that, the program will be no more. They will not do interviews next year even though they have over 4,000 applications that have already been submitted. I have never heard anything as ridiculous. Once again, people are making decisions about things that they know nothing about. The education system in this state and in this country is in dire need of great teachers that are excited about what they can do for these students. I know that plenty of people come out of the educational programs at colleges and universities all over the state and country and are great teachers, but in this competitive job market we are in, being a Teaching Fellow gives you that upper hand that many people need to even get a job. I hate it for all of the high school students that had that as their plan and are now going to have to find a different avenue. Some of them are going to give up education completely.

All of the alumni got an email from the program that gave some statistics that had been shared in the battle to fight this:

A recent study by Dr. Gary Henry, etc. with UNC-Chapel Hill will be released soon. The study’s findings validate the State’s investment. Some of the findings are:

• On average, Teaching Fellows score higher on Praxis II licensure exams than all other sources of teacher preparation

• Overall, the Teaching Fellows Program provides an effective source of teachers to the state of North Carolina

• Teaching Fellows are more effective in elementary school mathematics, middle grades mathematics and in high school

• The effectiveness of Teaching Fellows is primarily due to the recruitment and selection of high-quality individuals

• Teaching Fellows are significantly more likely to remain five years than teachers from any of the other categories

• Teaching Fellows are less likely to exit North Carolina public schools in their first three years of teaching


Data from the Program’s First Class in 1987 through March 2011:


Teaching Fellows Profile

• Teaching Fellows applications: 47,611

• Teaching Fellows Regional Finalists: 18,193

• Teaching Fellows Awards: 10,799

• 400 annual awards (1987-2005)
• 500 annual awards (2006-2011)
•  Approximately 2000 current undergraduates

• Teaching Fellows Graduates: 6,921

• Teaching Fellows Graduation Rate: (Classes 1987-2006): 84% (% will rise as some Fellows graduate late)

• Scholastic Profile of 2011 recipients: SAT Avg., 1175 (NC avg. 1008); GPA, 4.3 weighted scale


Teaching Fellows Service

• Teaching Fellows Graduates completing 4-year teaching service obligation: 4,153 (entering classes ’87-’02)

• Teaching Fellows Graduates employed in 5th year after completing 4 year teaching service obligation (2010-11): 84%

• Teaching Fellows Graduates employed after 5th (6th-20th) year of service after teaching service obligation (2010-11): 65%*

• All Teaching Fellows Graduates employed in public schools after teaching service obligation (5th-20th year, 2010-11): 66%*

• 1987 Teaching Fellows who completed teaching service obligation and are employed in public schools in 20th year: 60%*

• Teaching Fellows graduated in 2009-10 and employed in 2010-11: 64%*

• Teaching Fellows Graduates employed in 2010-2011 in 99 counties: 3,925

* Fellows may return/seek employment after graduate school, travel, and/or childcare.


Teaching Fellows in Leadership


• Teaching Fellows Graduates in graduate school:

99-00, 131; 00-01, 133; 01-02, 111; 02-03, 112; 03-04, 110; 04-05, 101; 05-06, 96; 06-07, 81; 07-08, 80; 08-09, 96; 09-10, 87; 10-11, 99
• Teaching Fellows Graduates with National Board Certification: 811 (as of 3/10)


• Teaching Fellows Graduates entering Principal Fellows Program: 105 (as of 6/10)

• Teaching Fellows Graduates in central office/administration: 241



Now tell me that doesn't sound like a program worth investing in!