Appalachian State University is rolling out three free Child Care Academies in Boone, Morganton and Hickory this spring and summer, a fast-track effort to plug chronic staffing gaps at local child care centers. Each academy runs about three weeks, combining two in-person sessions with self-paced online modules to prepare participants for entry-level work in early childhood education.
Homegrown program built by App State faculty
App State faculty members Dr. Teressa Sumrall and Rhonda Russell secured roughly $50,000 in federal grant funding to design the academies and are leading the three-site rollout, which the university says comes at no cost to participants. Sumrall has described the model as an accelerated pathway into the field, one that creates immediate job opportunities while also supporting longer-term professional growth. According to Appalachian Today, the university is working with local organizations to line up training venues and free child care for people attending the sessions.
Part of a bigger statewide push
The academies are one piece of a broader North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services initiative that taps 16 colleges and universities to provide shortened, intensive training funded through a federal Preschool Development Grant. Each participating campus is required to host at least three academies through July 2026, with flexibility to set its own start dates. As outlined by NCDHHS, the statewide effort is designed to expand access to high-quality early learning and bolster North Carolina’s economic infrastructure.
When and where the local academies meet
The first academy met this week on App State’s Boone campus. Two more in-person sessions are on the calendar: May 1-2 at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton and June 19-20 at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, with self-paced online coursework running through June 5 and July 10, respectively. Each academy uses the same format of two in-person meetings plus remote modules so participants can complete required credentials in a short window. The schedule and locations were shared by university officials and covered by local outlets, as reported by WSOC.
What the training covers
Over roughly three weeks, academy participants work through core health and safety topics, including CPR and first aid, general health and safety practices, infant and toddler safe-sleep protocols, playground safety, and how to recognize and respond to suspected child maltreatment. The training also introduces the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, walks through the Environment Rating Scales, explains the Pathways to the Stars quality system, and helps participants complete required criminal background checks. According to NCDHHS, the curriculum meets or exceeds the state’s minimum training standards for new child care professionals.
Why local leaders are backing it
Local business and civic leaders say the academies are really about shoring up the broader workforce, since parents’ ability to work often depends on reliable child care. “The staff of our child care centers are the workforce behind the workforce,” David Jackson, president and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, told WSOC. Regional coverage has noted that the App State-led academies are concentrating on the High Country and the Catawba Valley, areas that have struggled to recruit and retain early education staff and that mirror documented staffing shortfalls across North Carolina. As reported by BPR.
How to sign up
People interested in joining an academy can start by filling out the online interest form posted by the university, and App State says it will help participants sort out logistics such as on-site child care during training days. For details and to access the form, visit Appalachian Today.
State and university leaders say the short, practical academies are meant to provide immediate staffing relief for centers that are operating at reduced capacity, while also building a longer-term pipeline of trained early childhood professionals. They describe the model as portable across both rural and urban counties, with the broader rollout of academies across the 16 participating institutions continuing through July. For more on the statewide initiative and how it fits into North Carolina’s child care strategy, see reporting by EdNC.
