Starting in the spring of 2024, Wayne Community College will offer an elementary education residency program that will support teachers beginning their residency license journey.

Residency licensure is the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) approved alternative pathway to initial licensure.

NCDPI collaborated with the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) to develop the Cultivating Carolina Classrooms program to provide a streamlined opportunity in the community college. It simplifies, aligns, and accelerates the pathway to elementary education licensure for people who have completed a bachelor’s degree and have obtained a position in a school system that requires a teaching license.

WCC has joined the Cultivating Carolina Classrooms initiative and is now an NCDPI-approved Educator Preparation Program (EPP) provider.

“I am confident that this initiative places the NCCCS in a prime position to help meet the needs of our local education agencies,” said WCC’s EPP Campus Director Kelli Hamm. “By bridging the classroom vacancy gap, we aim to deliver a first-class education and licensing experience to aspiring elementary educators seeking a residency license.”

The EPP will offer supportive online coursework; one-on-one advising, mentoring, and coaching by experienced professionals; in-person classroom observations; step-by-step guidance through the process of receiving licensure; and partnership with the local education agency to provide the best possible experience.

“Ultimately, this endeavor will have a profound and positive impact on our students, shaping a brighter future. We look forward to collaborating with Wayne County Public Schools to ensure our elementary classrooms are vibrant hubs of high-quality learning,” said Hamm.

For more information, contact Hamm at [email protected] or (919) 739-6863 or visit the Elementary Education Residency Licensure page on WCC’s website.