Deeper Dive Session Explores Data Systems


The “Data Systems” Deeper Dive session, held during the AACTE 2019 Annual Meeting examined the possibilities and challenges for using information and evidence-based research to improve teacher education programs. The discussion was led by moderator Robert Floden, dean of the College of Education at Michigan State University, and included four panelists: Kevin Bastian, senior research associate, University of North Carolina (UNC) and director, Teacher Quality Research Initiative Education Policy Initiative at Carolina (EPIC); Charles Peck, a professor of teacher education and special education at the University of Washington; Suzanne Wilson, Neag School of Educatin Endowed Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Connecticut (UConn); and Gladis Kersaint, dean, Neag School of Education at UConn.

The robust discussion opened with Bastian sharing the details of a two-pronged study conducted by EPIC that pairs student teaching data with workforce outcomes. He stated, “The problem we’re interested in addressing is how can programs take a mountain of performance assessment data and identify what we might call actionable evidence within it.”

Panelists took a Deeper Dive into Addressing the Cost of Clinical Practice at #AACTE19


The Deeper Dive session, “Too Expensive to Ignore,” held during the AACTE 2019 Annual Meeting explored the many creative ways educators are working to address the high costs associated with becoming a teacher. The panel discussion was moderated by Karen DeMoss, executive director of Prepared to Teach, Bank Street College of Education, and the presenters were Tara Kini, director of state policy at the Learning Policy Institute (LPI); Karen Riley, dean of the College of Education at the University of Denver; Karen Kindle, division chair, Teacher Residency and Education at the University of South Dakota (USD); Jeannie Aversa, coordinator of educator effectiveness at the Syracuse City School District; and Nichole Brown, director of field placement and project director, Teacher Opportunity Corp II at SUNY Oswego. The group of educators engaged in a lively conversation about how to create sustainable funding for teacher residencies.

DeMoss began the discussion with an overview of the reasons solutions to the funding problem are necessary. She shared that attracting diverse candidates to the teaching profession requires a focus on the money matters that teaching candidates care about. For example, 40% of undergraduates and 76% of graduate students work full time, and they incur debt that is often untenable in comparison to the salaries they can expect as teachers.

Register Now for AACTE 2019 Washington Week

AACTE is excited to announce registration is open for its 2019 Washington Week. This signature event is held annually in the nation’s capital, with participation from AACTE and the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) state chapter leaders, Holmes Scholars, and AACTE members and non-members alike interested in advocating for the profession. Under the theme “Your Voice Matters,” this year’s Washington Week will be held June 2-5 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, VA, and on Capitol Hill.

AACTE through the Eyes of New Holmes Scholars

The AACTE Holmes Scholars Program recently welcomed two new members: University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) doctoral students Stephanie Jones-Fosu and Deondra Gladney. The two Scholars share their experience as first-time AACTE Annual Meeting and Holmes Preconference attendees.

Stephanie’s Reflection

The Holmes Scholar Program is designed to provide equitable opportunities to emerging scholars from underserved populations. By having the distinct opportunity to be one of first Holmes Scholars from UNCC, an entire level of educational greatness has been literally dropped in my lap. During the 2019 AACTE Annual Meeting in Louisville KY, the Holmes Program created an exclusive preconference event where Holmes students at various levels of education came together to learn and grow from Scholars around the country.

Holmes Students and Alum Engage at AACTE 71st Annual Meeting


The 71st AACTE Annual Meeting was held in Louisville Kentucky from February 22-24, 2019.  The AACTE theme this year was “Sustaining and Advancing the Profession.” The attendance was impressive, surpassing the number of attendees from previous years. The meeting allowed the members and alumni of the AACTE Holmes Program to escape daily routines, work distractions, and be fully present during a vibrant and innovative experience. This special environment fostered rich dialogue, sharing of research ideas, and collaboration on finding solutions to complex problems.     

Interactive Sessions, Dynamic Conversations, Innovative Solutions, and Tangible Outcomes

The AACTE Holmes preconference agenda centered around growth—both professionally and personally. While lecture-style sessions are beneficial, this year the strategic planning team implemented more interactive sessions. For example, during the Career Choice Pathway sessions, the audience was intentionally involved and invited to participate in dialogue. This year also consisted of tangible outcomes such as productive writing skills. A session was dedicated for focus based-research writing, which allowed for experimentation of a new writing tool to aid in efficient writing. Students were able to share and connect over similar writing experiences and provide guidance on how to stay motivated. Lastly, this year we were honored to have alumni host sessions, provide their mentorship, and invite collaboration on projects.

William & Mary Holmes Scholars Attend the 71st AACTE

Spencer Niles, dean of the School of Education, College of William & Mary poses with Holmes Scholars (L-R) Okenna Egwu, Leila Warraich, Jessica Scott, Denise Lewis, Chandra Floyd, Jingjing Liu, Shuhui Fan

Twelve College of William & Mary (W&M) Holmes Scholars attended the Holmes Scholars Annual Meeting in Louisville, KY in February as part of the 71st American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Annual Meeting. The AACTE Holmes Program encourages diversity in education by providing mentorship opportunities to students from high school through doctoral programs who are interested in careers in education. William & Mary’s 14 current Holmes Scholars are high-achieving doctoral students from populations underrepresented in higher education.

Watch Livestream Presentation on Findings from Groundbreaking Study on the Principal Pipeline

AACTE invites you to view a livestreamed presentation and panel discussion about the results of a new, groundbreaking study by the RAND Corporation on the impact of principal pipelines on districts, principals and students. The livestream is on Monday, April 8 from 10:30am – 12:00 noon ET. Register now!

Research has long confirmed principals’ influence on student achievement and the role districts play in shaping school leadership. Yet, until now, there’s been no evidence that districts approaching school leadership strategically and systematically could achieve benefits districtwide.

Launched in 2001, the Wallace Foundation’s Principal Pipeline Initiative (PPI) sought to test this hypothesis. The foundation funded six districts that implemented four interlocking components of a principal pipeline: rigorous leader standards, high-quality pre-service training, hiring procedures informed by data, and on-the-job evaluation and support.

#AACTE19 Opening Keynote Speakers Discuss Accountability in Teacher Education


Opening keynote speakers Marilyn Cochran-Smith of Boston College and Marvin Lynn of Portland State University, explored the challenges with accountability in teacher education in a provocative discussion on Friday, February 22.

Cochran-Smith is the Cawthorne Professor of Teacher Education for Urban Schools in the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. A teacher educator for more than 40 years, she stressed that teacher educators are passionate about accountability for the learning and development of the teacher candidates they work with, as well as the students, families, and communities the future teachers will serve.

“I have never met a teacher educator who didn’t feel accountable and who didn’t want to be accountable for his/her work,” said Cochran-Smith. “The trouble with teacher education accountability is not with accountability itself; it’s what teacher education has been held accountable for.”

Call for Board and Standing Committee Nominations Now Open

Your association wants you! Are you ready to become a leader in the national educator preparation community, or do you know someone who is? Nominate yourself or a colleague by May 10 to serve in an AACTE governance role.

AACTE is currently seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the AACTE Board of Directors and the following standing committees:

  • Global Diversity
  • Government Relations and Advocacy
  • Innovation and Technology
  • Meetings and Professional Development
  • Membership Development and Capacity Building
  • Professional Preparation and Accountability
  • Research and Dissemination

Shanita L. Pettaway Named Holmes Scholar of the Month

Congratulations to the Shanita. Pettaway, the March 2019 Holmes Scholar of the Month!

Pettaway, a native of Mobile, AL is a Ph.D. candidate in administration of higher education at Auburn University. She is focusing her research on the areas of administrative law, higher education law, human resources, public policy, historically black colleges and universities, as well as, the higher education professoriate—a logical and instinctive continuation of her previous graduate education. Her dissertation consists of a multi-content analysis of Title IX policies at historically black colleges and universities.

Graduating in 2008, with the highest academic average of a senior in business Administration from Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University, Pettaway is also an alumna of Southern University Law Center (Juris Doctor), Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (Master of Public Administration), and Auburn University (Master of Education, Administration of Higher Education; Graduate Certificate in College and University Teaching).

Ease Your Workload, Meet Your Goals with Campus Mentors


“It is a phenomenal program. It allows for all kinds of growth in both teacher candidates and high school students” – Michael Dantley, Dean, Miami University, and AACTE Board Member

“It gives students one-on-one intervention, ability to build relationships, and just increases their successes overall” – Talawanda School District Superintendent Kelly Spivey

 Campus Mentors is a clinical practice model that enables teacher candidates to work with youth who are at risk. It creates classrooms on university campuses to support these young people through individualized instruction of any selected curriculum, pedagogy, technology, or assessment. The program is an evidence-based, fiscally sustainable framework that has received national recognition for its youth outcomes. Like other clinical preparation programs, Campus Mentors exposes aspiring educators to real-life challenges and rewards of the teaching profession. Schools and colleges of education, as well as partnering public schools have experienced a number of benefits from partnering with the program. 

Call for Proposals, Reviewers for 2020 AACTE Annual Meeting “Disrupting Inequities: Educating for Change”

Now through May 29, AACTE is accepting session proposals for the 72nd Annual Meeting, to be held in Atlanta, GA, February 28 – March 1, 2020. We also invite applications by May 15 for AACTE member faculty to review proposals.

The conference theme is “Disrupting Inequities: Educating for Change,” conceptualized as follows in the call for proposals:

Over the last year, we have witnessed a rapidly changing society. These changes are driven by policy and policymakers with limited knowledge of best practices for working with dynamic and diverse school communities. In turn, this politically-motivated process has produced a grand narrative, while claiming to be colorblind and neutral, that tends to represent a small, privileged portion of the U.S. population.

AACTE Celebrates Public Schools Week, March 25-29


AACTE joins its fellow members of the Learning First Alliance (LFA) in celebrating Public Schools Week, March 25-29. The initiative is supported by national education groups representing teachers, principals, superintendents, parents and school board members to honor the achievements our public schools are making and the significant contributions public school educators and education advocates bring every day to public schools and their communities.

LFA members are hosting the second annual Public Schools Week on Capitol Hill in Washington and in communities large and small across the U.S. During Public Schools Week, groups representing LFA are inviting community members, lawmakers, parents and others into schools to see firsthand the wide array of programs and policies available to students that will showcase excellence in teaching and learning.

Session highlights Innovative Programs that Address Workforce Needs


During the AACTE 2019 Annual Meeting, panelists for the Deeper Dive session, “Innovations to Address Today’s Workforce Needs” examined inclusive education preparation and strategies to address the national teacher shortage. The session highlighted AACTE’s partnership with the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center at the University of Florida and its federal supporters.

AACTE Consultant Jane West, who leads the Association’s work with CEEDAR, moderated a discussion with panelists Mary Murphy and Mark Seals (Bowling Green State University) and Marvin Lynn (Portland State University) on best practices at Bowling Green’s undergraduate teaching program and Portland State’s master’s program. 

Deeper Dive panel examined winning strategies to address teacher shortage in diverse communities


Teacher shortages vary across the country by subject area, but the shortage is worst in high-minority, low-income schools, in lower wage states, and in districts with poorer working conditions. This topic was explored during a “Deeper Dive” session at the AACTE 2019 Annual Meeting titled “Successful Strategies for the Teacher Shortage.”

Jessica Cardichon of the Learning Policy Institute led the panel discussion, which included Patricia Alvarez McHatton (University of Texas), Selma Powell, (University of Washington), and Mario Santos (Newark Public Schools). Each participant shared their strategies for addressing the teacher shortage in three critical areas: recruitment, completion, and retention.