— Student enrollment in teacher education programs in the UNC System has declined 30 percent since 2010, a UNC System official told State Board of Education members at their meeting Wednesday.

From fall 2014 to 2015, the enrollment declined 3.4 percent. That includes students in undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs.

The declines have slowed down, “but we still have reason to be concerned,” said Alisa Chapman, vice president for Academic and University Programs at UNC General Administration.

Fifteen UNC System schools have teacher prep programs with a range of degree and licensure options. North Carolina has a shortage in high-need licensure areas, including math, science and middle grades.

“We need to increase our enrollments … to help with supply and demand,” Chapman said.

The UNC System has launched a new recruitment website, TeachNow.northcarolina.edu. The system is looking to recruit more teachers from six segments of the population – high school juniors and seniors, mid-career professionals, community college students, undecided majors at UNC System schools, high school counselors and military personnel and their spouses.

School board member Wayne McDevitt said the state has to create the demand to get more teachers.

“We need to create a comprehensive package,” he said, including better salaries, more respect for teachers and professional development opportunities. “The return on investment will be great.”

North Carolina ranks 47th in the country for average salaries for public school teachers, according to the most recent estimate by the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union. A first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree and no special certifications makes $35,000 a year, while 20-year veterans get $46,500, state records show.

State Superintendent June Atkinson has asked lawmakers for raises for all teachers and $10,000 bonuses for experienced educators who coach fellow teachers or work to turn around low-performing classrooms.