11 Apr2023
Rather than add novices, Wyoming works to find new ways to keep experienced teachers on the job.
By Nichole Dobo
This story was originally published by The Hechinger Report.
Like many states with a large number of rural schools, Wyoming desperately needs more teachers.
Take the case of the Teton County School District, in Jackson, Wyoming. Located near Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, the area is well known as a vacation spot. Despite the alluring landscape, for full-time residents the extremely high housing costs are daunting.
That makes it difficult to retain staff. The average tenure of a teacher is just four years.
04 Apr2023
By NSU College of Education
A federal grant will allow Northeastern State University to increase the number of comprehensively prepared teachers from diverse backgrounds.
NSU was awarded a four-year grant totaling a little more than $1.5 million through the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program. NSU College of Education Dean Vanessa Anton said the funds will be used to create the RiverHawk Center for Teacher Excellence with locations on both the Tahlequah and Broken Arrow campuses.
04 Apr2023
By Kaitlyn Brennan
This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
It was a busy week in Washington as lawmakers prepared to head back to their home states and districts for the two-week spring recess. From oversight hearings to the Congressional Review Act, we have much to cover this week — let’s dig in.
Education Leaders Push Back on Attacks Against the Public Education System
This week, following House Republicans passing the “Parent Bill of Rights,” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, American Federation of Teachers’ President Randi Weingarten and several Democratic Members of Congress and advocacy groups have pushed back on what they are calling a dangerous effort to undermine and politicize public schools.
04 Apr2023
By Kaitlyn Brennan
The “In the States” feature by Kaitlyn Brennan is a weekly update to keep members informed on state-level activities impacting the education and educator preparation community.
Recently published data shows that the Commonwealth of Virginia is relying more heavily on provisionally licensed teachers than ever before. As reported, Virginia issued a total of 8,434 provisional licenses in 2021–22 compared to an average of 6,787 in the years prior to the pandemic.
28 Mar2023
By Todd Finkelmeyer
This article was originally published by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education.
As the nationwide teacher shortage continues to generate headlines, stress education leaders, and frustrate policymakers in search of answers, the UW–Madison School of Education is announcing the extension of an innovative program aimed at addressing the problem in Wisconsin.
The UW–Madison School of Education Wisconsin Teacher Pledge program first started supporting students in the fall of 2020 and is dedicated to bolstering Wisconsin’s teacher workforce. This donor-funded initiative pays the equivalent of in-state tuition and fees, testing, and licensing costs for students enrolled in one of the School’s teacher preparation programs. In return, graduates “pledge” to teach for three or four years at a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school in Wisconsin.
14 Mar2023
By Michael Rose
AACTE expressed its support for President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget, which calls for strong investments in education that will help address the critical shortage of educators in our nation’s schools as well as help millions of students achieve their academic dreams.
The nation faces an unprecedented challenge hiring and retaining well-qualified and diverse educators to lead our classrooms. This shortage has been exacerbated by the pandemic, stagnant wages, and difficult work environments. The president’s budget proposal seeks to address many of these challenges. AACTE urges Congress to fund these priorities at the highest possible levels.
06 Mar2023
By Annie Ma
This article was originally published by The Associated Press.
Surrounded by kindergarteners, Lana Scott held up a card with upper and lower case Ys, dotted with pictures of words that started with that letter: Yo-yo. Yak. Yacht.
“What sound does Y make?” Scott asked a boy. Head down, he mumbled: “Yuh.” Instead of moving on, she gave him a nudge.
“Say it confident, because you know it,” she urged. “Be confident in your answer because you know it.”
He sat up and sounded it out again, louder this time. Scott smiled and turned her attention to the other kids in her group session.
21 Feb2023
By Dwayne Ray Cormier and Terrance McNeil
Join us at the AACTE Annual Meeting this year to learn how historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are transforming teacher education and preparation. The HBCU Teacher Education Topical Action Group (TAG) provides a platform for leaders and scholars associated with HBCUs to share their ideas and research on teacher education and preparation.
On Friday, February 24, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., come to the Marriott IndyPlace’s Indiana Ballroom F to learn about the innovative programs and research initiatives at HBCUs that are driving change and making a difference.
21 Feb2023
By Kaitlyn Brennan
This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
This week Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), chair and vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the Appropriations Subcommittees chairs, ranking members, and full rosters for the 118th Congress.
21 Feb2023
By Michael Rose
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the new chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a Town Hall meeting on February 13 to call for increasing the salaries and supporting policies for the nation’s educators.
Sen. Sanders was joined by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA); Becky Pringle, president, National Education Association; Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers; and four educators to talk about their experiences in the classroom and why it is critical to increase salaries for educators. AACTE was invited to share videos (see minute 5:23 and 6:40) of students who are being prepared to become teachers at AACTE member institutions.
17 Feb2023
By AACTE
AACTE is pleased to announce that the following 10 member institutions are part of the inaugural class of grantees under the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program (Hawkins Program):
- Bowie State University (MD)
- California State University, Dominquez Hills
- Florida International University
- Metropolitan State University of Denver (CO)
- Northeastern State University (OK)
- Sam Houston State University (TX)
- University of Hawai’i
- University of Houston-Clear Lake (TX)
- University of Texas at El Paso
- William Paterson University of New Jersey
14 Feb2023
By Brandi Palmer
AACTE made headlines in the past couple of months discussing innovation in teacher preparation programs, strategies for addressing the teacher shortage, diversifying the teaching profession and censorship in schools.
AACTE has been cited in media including Education Week, the Washington Times, K-12 Dive and EdNC.
30 Jan2023
By Megan Simpson
Local teacher Malachi Johnson was one of APSU’s first Grow Your Own graduates
The Austin Peay State University Eriksson College of Education is focused on finding new ways to address the need for licensed teachers in local and regional school districts. The college’s efforts, including the Grow Your Own initiative, garnered attention from White House officials in 2022. Next month, the College of Education will share successes and lessons from the past few years during the inaugural Virtual Conference on Teacher Shortage.
“With many school districts struggling to find qualified teachers, we have found the Grow Your Own model to be a new pipeline,” said Lisa Barron, APSU director of teacher education and partnerships. “Through this conference, we hope to present this model to school districts across the state and show them how they can partner with Austin Peay to train more teachers for their schools.”
10 Jan2023
By Amanda Nelson
(From left:) Molly Fisher, Ph.D., professor of STEM education in the College of Education and principal investigator; and REU student fellows Jacquelyn Armstrong and Alexandra Boardman.
A new study designed at the University of Kentucky College of Education is gauging the types of supports teachers across the nation need in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on schools. It is supported by a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) grant from the National Science Foundation.
“We are seeking K-12 teachers from anywhere in the U.S. who taught during the pandemic, or who were student teaching during the pandemic, to respond to a survey that will collect information on access to resources and the types of demands being faced as our schools return to normal,” said Molly Fisher, Ph.D., principal investigator and professor of STEM education in the College of Education.
Teachers willing to participate in the study can take the survey now. Responses will help researchers share information that will lead to equipping teachers to meet the demands of the current educational system, Fisher said.
09 Jan2023
By Kaitlyn Brennan
The new “In the States” feature by Kaitlyn Brennan is a weekly update to keep members informed on state-level activities impacting the education and educator preparation community.
In a recent survey of school superintendents across the state of Indiana, 95% of respondents say they are contending with a shortage of qualified candidates to fill vacant teaching positions. School district leadership identified the greatest shortage areas continue to be special education, science, math, English, foreign language, and elementary education. The survey was sent to all 291 traditional public school superintendents in Indiana, which resulted in 176 responses, or a 60.5% response rate.
