Appalachian State University is one of six institutions selected by the University of North Carolina System to be the recipients of recurring grants from the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program (NCPFP). App State will receive principal preparation grants for up to $750,000 per year for the next six years, starting in 2022.
“Providing quality teachers and educational leaders is the cornerstone of Appalachian’s past, present, and future,” said Dr. Melba Spooner, dean of App State’s Reich College of Education (RCOE). “Our partnerships with schools through providing continuing education and professional development opportunities are critical to the work we do in preparing educators, as well as North Carolina’s students.”
“Our partnerships with schools through providing continuing education and professional development opportunities are critical to the work we do in preparing educators, as well as North Carolina’s students.”
Principal Fellows complete their Masters in School Administration at any partnering public North Carolina university. As part of the program, the RCOE will be partnering with 12 school districts and the Northwest Regional Educational Service Alliance to train and support future principals through App State’s school administration program, which is housed in the RCOE’s Department of Leadership and Educational Studies.
“We are excited to be partnering with our region to provide the most comprehensive principal preparation program through dynamic leadership courses, experiences, and coaching over the course of the next six years,” said Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm, director of the RCOE’s Public School Partnership.
Dr. Kimberly Money, assistant professor of school administration, said, "The Principal Fellows Grant is so exciting for our school administration program as it provides students with increased access to innovative programming, which will support them in making a positive and lasting impact on the schools that they lead.”
"The Principal Fellows Grant is so exciting for our school administration program as it provides students with increased access to innovative programming, which will support them in making a positive and lasting impact on the schools that they lead.”
App State’s school administration program prepares students to learn more about the principal's role in articulating, developing and implementing a school vision that aligns with and supports district priorities, as well as provides skills needed to evaluate the systems and processes for continuous school improvement.
The other System institutions receiving grants are East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Western Carolina University. These institutions will join North Carolina Central University/Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance and University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which received grant funds for the 2020-2026 grant cycle.
In 2015, the North Carolina General Assembly established this competitive grant program to elevate educators in North Carolina public schools by transforming the preparation of principals across the State. The goal of the program is to provide funds for the preparation and support of highly effective school principals in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Principal Fellows Program is currently producing approximately 40% of the state’s educational leadership demand.
“These annual recurring grants will be vital for our universities to help train exceptional candidates to one day to become school principals,” said Dr. Andrew Kelly, UNC System Senior Vice President of Strategy and Policy. “The UNC System is proud to partner with NCPFP and would like to thank them for their continued support of education leadership training throughout the System.”
For more on the NC Principal Fellows Program, visit: ncpfp.northcarolina.edu/.
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