RALEIGH, N.C. ― Enrollment at the 15 University of North Carolina schools of education has plummeted 30 percent since 2010.
News outlets report that UNC System Vice President for Academic and University Programs Alisa Chapman told the State Board of Education on Wednesday that the decreasing enrollments are making things difficult for local districts that are trying to find teachers.
Hiring math, science and special education teachers has been a challenge for years in some districts, but superintendents say this was the first year that some of them had trouble hiring elementary school teachers.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson says pay, lack of respect and lack of time for professional development are some of the top reasons for declining enrollment in UNC teacher preparation programs.
