Cooper announces $3 million in teacher licensure assistance; continues to lobby for public education investment

Governor Roy Cooper is directing $3 million toward helping to cover teacher licensure costs. This comes as the governor is urging lawmakers not to shortchange public education.

Cooper announced last Thursday that $3 million in federal funding would be used to help aspiring educators become fully licensed teachers in North Carolina.

The money would be applied to help cover the costs of licensure exams and preparation. According to a news release, the cost of an exam in North Carolina can average $450 or more, with the fee escalating if a candidate needs to retake the test.

The initiative stems from a partnership between the governor’s office, the state Department of Public Instruction, and TeachNC, which provides one-on-one support for aspiring teachers.

The announcement came a day after Cooper sent a letter to state lawmakers urging them to invest in North Carolina’s public school system.

The governor has been critical of a legislative plan to expand the eligibility for private school vouchers, saying it would exacerbate a teacher shortage and starve funding for early childhood education and child care.

In the letter, Cooper also presses lawmakers to keep political culture wars out of the classroom and leave it to educators and parents to determine the curriculum.