CMS Teaching Residency

strengthening and diversifying

the teacher pipeline

CMS Teaching Residency (CMSTR) provides an accelerated, affordable pathway for passionate professionals to become licensed classroom teachers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. This district-operated program focuses on developing effective teachers to support the areas of highest need in our school system.

Through a year of rigorous training, personalized support, and hands-on experience teaching in CMS classrooms, residents build new skills while completing requirements for North Carolina teaching licensure.

The CMS Foundation is supporting the  district's efforts to build this pathway to licensure for non-traditional teaching candidates, with a specific focus on attracting and retaining more teachers of color, secondary STEM and Exceptional Children teachers in CMS through this program.

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Program Impact

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RESIDENTS PLACED IN CLASSROOMS

PLACED IN TITLE I SCHOOLS

CMS SCHOOLS IMPACTED

Our Work

Addressing an Urgent Need

The United States is experiencing a severe teacher shortage. Researchers estimate that the current annual shortage is close to 110,000 nationally and will continue to increase. Teacher shortages have system-wide impacts, negatively affecting students, educators and their communities. Staff instability and shortages jeopardize students’ ability to learn, and high teacher turnover consumes limited resources that could be used to meet students’ other needs.

North Carolina is not immune to this crisis. Across the UNC System, undergraduate enrollment in education programs is down 43% since 2010. Locally, CMS has a teaching force of ~9,000 licensed teachers and hires an average of 1,350 teachers annually. For the 2019-20 school year, the district hired 1,436 new teachers, up 150 from the previous year.*

With support from the CMS Foundation, CMS Teaching Residency is addressing this urgent need, helping people transition into successful teaching careers and use their skills to make a positive impact in classrooms across Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

*Total hires for SY2020-21 were down at 854, with decreases in both separations and hires attributed to COVID-19 impacts; however, CMS anticipates increases moving into SY2021-22.

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get to know us

Our People & Priorities

With the help of our dedicated board, talented team, and the local philanthropic community, including generous donors and supportive advocates like you, we develop initiatives and programs that support educators as they foster the potential of nearly 150,000 students in CMS schools.

Board of Directors

Meet our dedicated Board of Directors, making a difference in public education in our community.

Meet Our Team

The CMS Foundation staff team helps ensure that your private investments have a meaningful, sustainable impact.

Fundraising Priorities

As the official nonprofit partner for CMS schools, we raise money to support the district’s highest strategic priorities.

Our Programs

We seed innovative ideas and help expand existing programs to accelerate system-wide transformation.