Grant expands access to teacher licensure, graduate education

The College of Education will expand access to teacher licensure and graduate education through the Kenan Residency to Master’s Fellows program with support of a $500,000 grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust.

André Green

The R2M program is an accelerated, cohort-based pathway for residency teachers to earn their teacher licensure and a master’s degree while teaching full time. Residency is an alternative pathway to becoming an educator, allowing individuals to work as a teacher while taking classes to obtain an official, permanent teaching license. Fellows will benefit from supported professional growth with financial assistance throughout the program, mentorship and leadership development.

Fellows will receive up to $8,500 in tuition support to become licensed in elementary education; middle grades or high school English, math, science or social studies; special education, or business and information technologies education.

“We’re committed to supporting licensed active teachers who are ready to complete a master’s program, and the Kenan Trust grant will significantly further our ability to provide this pathway,” said André Green, dean of the College of Education.

Nearly half of new teachers in North Carolina enter the field through residency or emergency licensure pathways. This program seeks to address potential challenges in teacher retention and preparation in alternative licensure.

The R2M program was inspired by other programs at the college, including the Maynard Scholars Program, Pirate Leadership Academy, Noyce Scholars and NC Teaching Fellows.

The program is structured as a four-year, sequential model. Students will spend their first two years completing the graduate certificate in teacher licensure, with select coursework from the certificate applying toward the Master of Arts in Education as they transition into the graduate degree program in their third year.

Twenty fellows will start the program this fall, and another group will participate in fall 2027. Eligible candidates must be employed in a rural district (with priority given to the 43 Latham Clinical Schools Network districts), be eligible for ECU residency licensure programs and commit to completing the graduate certificate and master’s degree requirements.