RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday $3 million in new federal funding to help more North Carolinians become fully licensed teachers and tackle teacher vacancies.
The funds will be used to cover things like the cost of licensure exams which averages around $450.
Aspiring teachers, along with nearly 1,000 current teachers who need to pass an exam to remain in the classroom, can now receive reimbursement as well as a variety of preparation materials for the exam.
Gov. Cooper says this will help ensure exam fees don’t deter excellent, diverse talent from reaching and staying in the classroom.
"Every student deserves to have a qualified teacher and the opportunity to receive a high-quality education,” Gov. Cooper said. “This funding will help ensure that exam fees don’t deter excellent, diverse talent from reaching – and staying in – the classroom. We need the legislature to make meaningful investments in teacher pay raises to help North Carolina fight our high teacher vacancy rate.”
This funding is eligible to any North Carolina teacher who took a licensure exam on or after July 1, 2022, or a current or aspiring teacher who will be taking a licensure exam before June 30, 2024.
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