The primary goal of the Teacher Cadet Program is to encourage academically talented, high-achieving, high school students with exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills to consider teaching as a career. An important secondary goal of the Program is to develop future community leaders who will become civic advocates for public education.

The Teacher Cadet Program uses an innovative approach designed to attract talented young people to the teaching profession through a challenging introduction to teaching. The Program seeks to provide high school students with insight into the nature of teaching, the problems of schooling, and the critical issues affecting the quality of education in America's schools.

Piloted in four South Carolina high schools in 1985-86, the Teacher Cadet Program has grown to include 188 South Carolina high schools with 233 classes serving 2,991 juniors and seniors annually. More than 71,000 students have participated in the Teacher Cadet Program in its 34-year history. The dual credit accrual course is taught for a minimum of one class period per day for a year or the equivalent of that amount of time in contact hours.