News & Events

Announcing the NC Inspire Fellowship Program

November 29, 2011

Announcing the NC Inspire Fellowship Program  --  a new program designed to recruit, prepare, support, and license recent non-education major college graduates and mid-career professionals to teach high-need subjects (Math, Science and Special Education) in high-need schools in North Carolina (participating counties in WNC include: Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford, Polk, Transylvania and Swain.)
http://www.northcarolina.edu/nc_inspire/index.htm

The NC INSPIRE Fellowship (funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Transition to Teaching program) is committed to attracting the most highly qualified candidates possible for teaching positions in our partnering high-need LEAs. The NC INSPIRE Fellows selection process is comprehensive and very competitive. Applicants must first qualify for the NC INSPIRE Fellowship program and then be selected as a finalist.
To qualify for the NC INSPIRE program, candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Show evidence of a commitment to students
• Agree to teach in a high-need school in one of NC INSPIRE's high-need LEAs for at least three years
• Hold a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Mathematics teachers must have a Mathematics degree
  • Science teachers must have a degree in Science (see website for list of eligible science degrees)
  • Special Education teachers must hold a bachelor's degree in any subject
• Have an overall minimum GPA of 2.8, and 3.0 major courses. (Candidates must submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended)
• Earn an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) - Special Education candidates must take the GRE
• Qualify for admission to the appropriate MAT program for you teaching area at the NC INSPIRE participating campus
• Pass the Praxis II test - Special Education candidates only
• Have no criminal record
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
• Provide three recommendations
• Provide a written statement of purpose
• Interview with the NC INSPIRE selection committee

Once all these requirements are met, the NC INSPIRE selection committee will choose forty finalists and ten alternates from those candidates who are eligible to be NC INSPIRE Fellows. To finalize their selection as NC INSPIRE Fellows, eligible candidates must apply to and be hired as lateral entry teachers of record (TORs) by one of the NC INSPIRE partnering LEAs. (see the Partnering LEAs page for a list of these and links to their websites)

How to Apply

To apply for the NC INSPIRE Fellows program, please download the NC INSPIRE Fellows application packet, follow the directions listed on the cover sheet, and submit all required items as instructed. If you have questions, please contact Deborah Dickerson at deborahd@northcarolina.edu or 919-843-7303. http://www.northcarolina.edu/nc_inspire/apply.htm