Western Carolina University is the recipient of a grant from the North Carolina General Assembly that will help prepare educators to become school principals and, in turn, strengthen the quality of educational leadership in public schools.
The two-year grant is providing WCU with $400,561 for its North Carolina School Executive Leadership Program. The General Assembly established the competitive grant program in 2015 to provide funds for preparing and supporting highly effective school principals and assistant principals in the state. WCU was one of five institutions selected for funding.
“Many do not know that the current principal shortage in North Carolina is at a critical point, much like the teacher shortage,” said Dale Carpenter, dean of WCU’s College of Education and Allied Professions. “This grant, a collaboration with the Western Region Education Service Alliance, will go a long way toward addressing the shortage with high-quality professionals.”
In their role, principals report to the local superintendent, serve as a school’s chief administrator and develop and implement policies, programs, curriculum activities and budgets, as well as supervise staff.