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AACTE Board Member Candice McQueen Named Tenn. Education Commissioner

AACTE congratulates its Board of Directors member Candice McQueen on being named the next Tennessee education commissioner by Governor Bill Haslam last week. McQueen is currently senior vice president and dean of the College of Education at Lipscomb University. She will assume her new role January 20, 2015.

As the Tennessee commissioner of education, McQueen will oversee all of the work of the Tennessee Department of Education. She will lead the implementation of statewide assessments, the evaluation of curricula across Tennessee, and the execution of education initiatives of the governor as a member of the cabinet. McQueen has also accepted the challenge to oversee education standards that could mirror Common Core standards or Tennessee-specific standards, and she is tasked with creating and implementing a new state standardized test, “TNReady.” The commissioner has a role in creating the test and ensuring it aligns with what’s taught in the classroom.

AACTE Board Election Results

Congratulations to the future members of AACTE’s Board of Directors! In an online election that ended November 28, AACTE members chose several of their colleagues to serve a 3-year term beginning March 1, 2015:

Arlinda Eaton, Kennesaw State University (TECSCU)
Pamela Carroll, Oklahoma State University (At-Large)
Dianne Mark, Coastal Carolina University (At-Large)
Jennie Whitcomb, University of Colorado at Boulder (At-Large)

Holmes Scholars Opportunities at AACTE’s 2015 Annual Meeting

The AACTE Holmes Scholars® Program is one of the Association’s hallmark offerings on diversity and will be featured in a variety of sessions at the 67th Annual Meeting in Atlanta, February 27-March 1.

In addition to dedicated preconference programming, attending Holmes Scholars will participate in the full range of Annual Meeting offerings under the theme Advancing the Imperative, from major forums and general and concurrent sessions to the town hall meeting and the job fair.

Highlights From Educational Horizons

The December 2014/January 2015 issue of Educational Horizons is now available from Pi Lambda Theta.

Thanks to a partnership with Phi Delta Kappa and Pi Lambda Theta, all AACTE members receive free online access to this magazine for future teachers as a benefit of their AACTE membership. Chief Representatives also receive each issue by mail.

50% Off Membership Incentive Extended—With Added Bonus

‘Tis the season to celebrate! AACTE is extending its new-member incentive by offering 50% off the regular dues rate to new and reinstating member institutions for 2015.

In addition, new members that join by December 31, 2014, and submit their 2015 dues payment with their application will receive free membership for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year.

Join AACTE Now for 50% Off Dues

Are you looking to join AACTE? There is still time to experience the many benefits and services of AACTE membership at reduced rates, including access to advocacy networks and strategies for educator preparation issues on federal and state levels, accreditation technical assistance, discounted conference registration, and much more!

Vote by Nov. 28 in the AACTE Board Election

The annual election for the AACTE Board of Directors opens today and runs through November 28. Four seats will be decided via online voting: one representing the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU) and three at-large seats.

All AACTE Institutional and Chief Representatives are eligible to vote for all four open seats. The slate of candidates is as follows:

Highlights From Educational Horizons

The October/November 2014 issue of Educational Horizons is out!

Thanks to a partnership with Phi Delta Kappa and Pi Lambda Theta, all AACTE members receive free online access to this magazine for future teachers as a benefit of their AACTE membership. Chief Representatives also receive each issue by mail.

Here are some highlights from the current issue to share with your students:

Deadline for 2015 Awards Extended to Friday, October 24

Did you need extra time to submit your 2015 AACTE award application? You’re in luck!

The submission deadline for the 2015 Best Practice and Professional Achievement Awards has been extended until Friday, October 24.

Act now and nominate the innovative and exemplary program at your institution for a Best Practice Award! These awards highlight the work members are doing each day to improve the field of educator preparation:

  • Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology
  • Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Teacher Education
  • Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity

Update Your AACTE Profile

Want to stay current with your TAG? Looking for the latest edTPA information? Want to know about new programs that match your interests? Be sure to keep your personal AACTE profile current to reflect your areas of interest and up-to-date contact information.

Why not update your profile now? Just log in to our online Profile Manager – it’s easy and fast.

Questions? Contact the AACTE membership department at membership@aacte.org.

50% Off 2014 Membership Offer Extended

The 50% off 2014 AACTE membership offer for new and reinstating members has been extended to the end of the year. Institutions that join AACTE can enroll several faculty and staff to experience all of AACTE’s many benefits and services at a significantly reduced cost.

AACTE Board Approves CAEP Technical Assistance, Discontinues Resolutions

The AACTE Board of Directors met September 11-12 in Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting agenda, led by Chair Julie Underwood (University of Wisconsin Madison), dealt with topics from the Innovation Exchange and membership engagement to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), as well as information around the organization’s operations and federal and state policy updates.

President/CEO Sharon P. Robinson reported on the operations of the organization, highlighting the Innovation Exchange, growth in membership, a successful 2014 Annual Meeting, and a strong first application cycle for the Research Fellowship.

Innovation at SUNY Buffalo State: Robust PDS Consortium

The Innovations Inventory of AACTE’s Innovation Exchange is an online database highlighting members’ pioneering practices in educator preparation that have shown a positive impact on issues of student learning, preparation program advancement, or educator workforce needs. This blog post is one in a series highlighting entries from the inventory. For more information, contact Zach VanHouten at zvanhouten@aacte.org.

The award-winning Professional Development School (PDS) Consortium based at the State University of New York College at Buffalo (Buffalo State) offers a supportive cohort community for teacher candidates, minigrants for action research in the schools, and even international partner settings. This clinically rich network, founded in 1991, has evolved in alignment with frameworks including the 2001 NCATE PDS Standards, the National Association of Professional Development Schools Nine Essentials, and the 2012 NCATE Blue Ribbon Panel report.

Innovation at St. Cloud State University: The Coteaching Model

The Innovations Inventory of AACTE’s Innovation Exchange is an online database highlighting members’ pioneering practices in educator preparation that have shown a positive impact on issues of student learning, preparation program advancement, or educator workforce needs. This blog post is one in a series highlighting entries from the inventory. For more information, contact Zach VanHouten at zvanhouten@aacte.org.

Innovation at Saint Bonaventure University

The Innovations Inventory of AACTE’s Innovation Exchange is an online database highlighting members’ pioneering practices in educator preparation that have shown a positive impact on issues of student learning, preparation program advancement, or educator workforce needs. This blog post is one in a series highlighting entries from the inventory. To request inclusion of your institution’s innovations, contact Zach VanHouten at zvanhouten@aacte.org.

The College of Education at Saint Bonaventure University (NY) has embraced the professional development school model in its initial teacher certification programs as a method for providing rich clinical experiences for teacher candidates. Under this model, candidates receive extensive supervised training in an apprentice style of learning, spending 2 full days per week for 2 semesters in the classroom acquiring the necessary skills to become full-time teachers. Candidates gain in-depth knowledge of classroom structure, management, and technique while learning alongside their cooperating teacher and their cohort of students. Prior to student teaching, each candidate spends a minimum of 300 hours in classrooms; upon completion of the program, each one has spent approximately 1,000 clock hours overall in clinical practice.