Mission Statement
The purpose of the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement (CERRA) is to provide leadership in identifying, attracting, placing and retaining well-qualified individuals for the teaching profession in our state. In doing so, CERRA will respond to changing needs for teachers from underrepresented populations, in critical subject fields and in under-served geographical areas in South Carolina. The Center will work cooperatively with other organizations to promote the teaching profession.

Overview
The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement (CERRA) is the oldest and most established teacher recruitment program in the country. The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement, established by the Commission on Higher Education in December 1985 and funded by the South Carolina General Assembly, has completed its 15th year of operation. Following the passage of the state's landmark Education Improvement Act, CERRA was created out of a concern for the condition of South Carolina's teacher supply pool and a need for a centralized teacher recruitment effort.

CERRA's agenda is a comprehensive one in which the Center pursues a variety of programs for increasing the number of students in the education pipeline and recruiting and retaining certified teachers. The CERRA's primary target groups are middle and high school students, college students, and adults interested in changing careers.

CERRA also targets groups of accomplished teachers through programs including mentoring, teacher leadership and National Board Certification. The network of educators in our programs overlaps in powerful ways to increase the level of collaboration for recruitment, retention, and advancement of South Carolina educators.

The Center for Teacher Recruitment is staffed by an executive director, three program directors, a public information coordinator, six teachers in residence (including the S.C. Teacher of the Year), a teacher database manager, administrative assistants and a business/office manager. CERRA has developed into a national model for teacher recruitment and has been adopted by approximately one-third of all teacher recruitment programs in the country.

The Board of Directors, which oversees the Center's budget and operations, includes representatives from colleges and universities, state education agencies, professional education associations, the General Assembly and private businesses and industry. By mutual agreement of the Board of Directors, CERRA is housed at Winthrop University which provides financial services and fiscal accountability for the Center.

CERRA Continuum of Programs and Services (pdf)
CERRA Regional Service Areas (pdf)