Interested in teaching?
RCC offering associate degrees, starting this fall
At the start of the 2021-2022 school year, Randolph Community College President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. announced an initiative to “support the development of excellent educators in Randolph County.” Starting this fall, students interested in becoming teachers can earn their Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation (AATP) or Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation (ASTP) at the College.|
“This is a great opportunity for students who are passionate about becoming teachers.” — RCC Associate Dean of College Transfer Grey Lane |
Once the students graduate, they can transfer to any school with a Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) or Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (ICAA). In fact, last August, the North Carolina Community College System and the University of North Carolina System signed the Uniform Articulation Agreement in Teacher Education/Educator Preparation. The Agreement focused on developing a seamless transfer for students who begin teacher preparation studies at a community college and then transfer to one of the educator preparation programs within the UNC System to complete a bachelor’s degree and become a licensed teacher in the K-12 system.
According to data from the State Board of Education, about 8.2 percent of teachers left employment in North Carolina public schools during the 2020-21 school year. While it’s unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic directly impacted this number, the state's report said the number of teachers who did not select one of the standard responses for reasons for departure increased by 117.21 percent.