The Reich College of Education is building on a longstanding tradition of educator preparation while responding to changing educational, professional, and community needs. With a broad academic portfolio, established partnerships, and a growing research environment, RCOE is positioned to pursue new approaches to teaching, learning, scholarship, and public engagement. The college's Strategic Positioning Platform provides a foundation for this work through four priorities:
- student-centered and innovative programs;
- a connected college culture;
- expanded access, retention, and completion; and
- advocacy and leadership.
Expanding Access Through Flexible Pathways
Increasing access to educational and professional opportunities remains a central priority for RCOE. Students enter higher education and the education professions through many pathways, including traditional undergraduate enrollment, community college transfer, career transitions, and professional advancement. RCOE continues to explore flexible learning opportunities that respond to these different needs, including online and hybrid education, alternative teacher licensure routes, and partnerships with school districts and community colleges.
The expansion of teacher education at App State's Hickory campus illustrates this direction. Recent initiatives include a K–9 STEM education program and a part-time evening elementary education pathway designed to serve working students. Complementing these efforts, RCOE special education faculty are leading an initiative supported by more than $1.4 million in U.S. Department of Labor funding to strengthen special education career pathways in rural Appalachia. In partnership with regional school districts, the initiative provides tuition assistance, stipends, mentoring, and professional development to address critical workforce shortages. Building on these efforts, the college aims to strengthen enrollment pathways, student support, retention, and degree completion while maintaining academic quality.
Advancing Academic Programs and Professional Preparation
The evolving needs of schools, colleges, organizations, and communities create opportunities for innovation across RCOE's academic programs. The college seeks to strengthen existing degrees and credentials while exploring interdisciplinary connections and emerging areas of professional preparation.
One example is the Master of Library and Information Science program, which has achieved pre-candidacy status in the American Library Association accreditation process. Continued progress toward full accreditation represents an important opportunity for program development and future growth.
Across the college, attention to program relevance, professional standards, emerging technologies, and changing workforce needs will remain central to academic planning.
Strengthening Research and Scholarly Activity
App State's attainment of Carnegie Research 2 (R2) status in 2025 creates additional opportunities to advance research, scholarship, and graduate education. RCOE has an established foundation of faculty scholarship, externally supported projects, and research partnerships addressing educational and societal needs.
Recent externally funded initiatives provide examples of this momentum. Through the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges, faculty are leading the Rural Talent Lab, a multi-state effort supported by a $7.2 million grant from Ascendium Education Group focused on rural talent development and workforce opportunity. Other recent awards include a $1.4 million U.S. Department of Labor grant supporting special education workforce development and a state-funded initiative to develop child care academies. These projects illustrate how RCOE scholarship connects research, workforce development, and community needs.
Building on this foundation, the college seeks to expand its research portfolio, strengthen support for faculty scholarship, encourage interdisciplinary inquiry, and increase opportunities for graduate student research. Initiatives such as the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges demonstrate the potential for RCOE-affiliated scholarship to contribute to national conversations about educational opportunity, institutional effectiveness, and community well-being.
Deepening Regional Partnerships and Public Engagement
RCOE's relationships with schools, community colleges, nonprofit organizations, and other educational partners remain central to its mission. These partnerships provide opportunities to respond to evolving regional needs while connecting the expertise of faculty, staff, and students with the communities they serve.
Future efforts will continue to emphasize educator preparation and support, postsecondary access, educational leadership, and workforce development. Through collaborative research, professional learning, and community-based initiatives, RCOE seeks to strengthen its contributions to Western North Carolina while extending its reach across the state and beyond.
Supporting a Connected College Community
RCOE's future also depends on continued investment in its people and organizational culture. With five academic departments, multiple programs and centers, and faculty, staff, and students working across different locations and learning environments, the college benefits from opportunities for greater connection and collaboration.
Its Strategic Positioning Platform identifies priorities related to cross-departmental collaboration, transparent communication, shared planning, and support for faculty, staff, and students. Continued attention to these areas will help RCOE align resources with institutional priorities, support innovation, and strengthen a shared sense of purpose across its diverse academic and professional communities.
Together, these priorities reflect a college committed to building on its strengths while remaining responsive to the changing needs of students, educators, organizations, and communities.