ASHEBORO, N.C. (JAN. 16, 2024) – As the state’s leading membership and support organization for public charter schools., the North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools provides a wide array of services and support to help all the state’s charter schools provide a high-quality education to their students. To encourage employees of the organization’s members to upskill and further their careers by pursuing educational opportunities, NCAPCS has signed a collaboration agreement with Western Governors University, an accredited nonprofit online university.
As part of the agreement, NCAPCS employees and members will be able to apply for WGU’s Partner Connect Scholarships in the amount of $2,500, which is disbursed in increments of $625 per term for up to four academic terms based on satisfactory academic performance. Tuition at WGU is around $4,000 to $5,000 per six-month term, and students are able to accelerate at their preferred pace with the consent of their assigned program mentor.
Established in 1997, WGU offers more than 80 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the fields of K-12 education, information technology, business and healthcare. WGU currently has more than 5,200 students enrolled in North Carolina, including 964 in its Teachers College.
“As a solutions-driven advocacy organization, the North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools is excited to partner with WGU to offer our schools an accelerated route toward teacher licensure with the added bonus of the Partner Connect Scholarship,” said NCAPCS Executive Director Rhonda Dillingham. “With more credentialed teachers in the classrooms, our students will be the ultimate beneficiaries.”
“WGU helps working adults pursue postsecondary degrees by accessing online courses whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them,” said Ben Coulter, Ed.D., director of WGU’s Southeast Region and chancellor of WGU North Carolina. “This agreement will help NCAPCS members and staff access additional learning pathways to higher education, including accredited degrees, certificates and credentials.”
