Charlotte’s undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program has been named among the best in the nation when it comes to ensuring future elementary teachers have the essential content knowledge and skills they need to teach mathematics.
The University is one of only 79 programs in the country to earn an “A+” ranking for its coursework requirements in elementary mathematics in the National Council on Teacher Quality 2022 Teacher Prep Review, earning the distinction as “exemplar.”
The NCTQ is a national research and policy organization that evaluates the core requirements and practices of more than 1,100 programs that prepare future elementary teachers. It is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan agency solely dedicated to measuring teaching quality.
The council evaluated UNC Charlotte’s program for its coverage of both the key mathematics content as well as how to teach those concepts and found that it meets 100 percent of the instructional goals across each area of elementary mathematics.
UNC Charlotte is the only North Carolina school on the list. Malcolm B. Butler, dean of the Cato College of Education, stated, “This ‘A+’ ranking is another testament to the amazing faculty in our elementary teacher preparation program. We continue to prepare teachers who impact the lives of elementary school students and their families. The fundamental knowledge and skills associated with the teaching of mathematics are deeply embedded in our program. What we do works, and NCTQ confirms it.”
The distinction is due to the collaborative efforts over the past three years of a team of four professors, several adjunct professors and one doctoral student. Leading the program are Madelyn Colonnese, Chrislyn Luce, Luke Reinke and Drew Polly.