Old North Education Foundation
Our Mission:
The Old North Education Foundation's mission is to remove existing barriers to teacher recruitment by providing scholarships to individuals seeking to enroll in teacher preparation programs. We do this through fundraising events, advocacy, and research.
Background:
As current educators, we saw a concerning trend of talented teachers leaving the classroom at unprecedented rates. Additionally, we noticed that the financial burden of a bachelor's degree combined with beginning teacher pay has made teaching less attractive of a profession to young adults. The decline of enrollment in teacher preparation programs has created large numbers of vacancies in schools nationwide, contributing to a significant teacher shortage. We founded this group to ease the financial burden of college expenses for students enrolling in teacher preparation programs and to remove as many barriers as possible for talented young adults to enter such a crucial profession. Simply put, we must value our teachers and recruit the best minds that we can to enter the field of education.
Statistics:
According to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education:
- Over the last decade, traditional teacher preparation programs have declined 35% in enrollment
- Over the last decade, there has been a significant decline in the number of degrees and certificates conferred in high-need specialties, including a 4% decrease in special education, 27% decrease in science and mathematics education, and 44% decrease in foreign language education.
- In addition to the lack of diversity in teacher preparation programs, the HBCU's of the UNC teacher prep programs have decreased over 50% of their programs, on average.
Our Response:
We raise funds that award scholarships to students enrolled in teacher preparation courses within colleges of education at participating North Carolina universities. In 2023, we awarded scholarships to students attending NC State University and Baylor University. We have awarded 5 scholarships in two years, and hope to award more in 2024-2025.