In light of the most recent election cycle and AACTE’s commitment to having its members and state affiliates remain connected with officials in their respective states, we have updated the lists of contact information on our website for each state’s policy makers (member login required). Contacts include that of the governor, chief school officer, relevant legislature committees, and education agency staff.
A new report from the Teacher Education Task Force of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) makes a compelling case for quality teacher preparation, capturing the key challenges that make the current context complex but also offering recommendations for both university leaders and policy makers to move the field forward.
The task force conducted a survey last year of presidents, provosts, and education deans at state colleges and universities to gauge the current state of educator preparation. (The survey results are included as an appendix to the new report.) The responses informed conversations among task force members to distill the core themes, debate their implications in light of the latest research, and determine consensus recommendations for priority actions by higher education administrators. The results were combined to craft the new report, and the AASCU policy team added a set of priorities for federal and state policy.
Ed Prep Matters is pleased to bring you this special feature on state policy and AACTE state chapter activity. For a recap of all state policy and state chapter in 2016, check out this blog.
Overview of State Policy Activity
This month has seen a landslide of state legislative action as the vast majority of state legislatures have convened for their 2017 legislative session. Since January 1, at least 164 state bills have been introduced that could impact various aspects of educator preparation.
This article appeared in the “Regional Roundup” newsletter of the Council of State Governments West and is reprinted with permission. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
Utah is grappling with many of the same education challenges plaguing other states: high teacher turnover; persistent staffing shortages in key fields, demographic areas, and districts; inadequate access to performance data; and the list goes on. As legislators work to address these challenges, they stand the best chance of success if they develop solutions in collaboration with professional educators. Without the benefit of educator perspectives, well-meaning legislators risk developing and implementing policy that will not adequately address these challenges, and may even contribute to them.
Ed Prep Matters is pleased to bring you this special feature on state policy and AACTE state chapter activity. For prior monthly recap articles, browse the “State Directions” section of the blog.
2016 began with some clear themes for state education policy showcased in governors’ State of the State Addresses. According to a report from the Education Commission of the States (ECS), the following issues topped the governors’ lists:
The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
It has taken approximately $500 and 7 months to convince my new home state that I’m a worthy teacher candidate – even though I have two master’s degrees and 11 years of classroom experience, am a National Teacher Fellow, and was a state elementary teacher of the year. It will take an additional 3 years and 36 credit hours of graduate work, at my expense, to retain my position in my new state. It’s a good thing that I’m committed to a career in education, because the process of moving states presents repeated opportunities to step away from the field.
At the end of November, the U.S. Department of Education released its final rule for regulations on accountability, state plans, and data reporting for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Critical for educator preparation is the deadline set for states to submit their consolidated state plans (which includes requirements for Title II funds). States can submit their consolidated state plans by either April 3 or September 18, 2017.
The consolidated state plan is required to be created in consultation with key stakeholders. While educator preparation is not listed as a required stakeholder, institutions of higher education are required at the table. As your state works to develop its plan, this is an excellent opportunity to engage and make your voice heard!
In August, the Advisory Council of State Representatives (ACSR), the governing body of AACTE’s state chapters, released a set of state policy statements to enhance educator preparation. The statements represent the priorities of more than 1,100 educator preparation providers nationwide. AACTE created a customizable template in which state chapters can adapt the statements to meet their state and local needs.
The Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) has been working on tools to advance our message with the state legislature and other key stakeholders. One of our newest assets is the ACSR State Policy Statements, which we adapted by adding a statement on our membership. MACTE has 100% participation among the state’s institutions of higher education that support educator preparation. We felt it was critical to illustrate that we are the collective voice of educator preparation in Missouri.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
I’m a high school teacher in Florida. I entered the profession through an alternative certification route after completing a 20+ year career in telecommunications. Beyond my standard college classes, my classroom-based preparation consisted of only 10 days of observation along with the creation and delivery of two practice lessons. I graduated as “highly qualified” and was hired immediately as a science teacher at the local teacher job fair.
If I were entering the profession now, especially coming from the business world, I would want a more effective teacher preparation experience than the one I had 10 years ago. Many experienced educators concur. Hope Street Group’s On Deck: Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers (a report released this spring) was the first study that compiled data collected by teachers from classroom teachers regarding their professional preparation. Along with 17 other National Teacher Fellows, I conducted this peer research, sourcing educators of all tenures who were certified in 49 states plus the District of Columbia. Amid several interesting findings in On Deck, two particularly resonated with me as I also reflect on “what I wish I’d learned then.”
While the country’s attention during last week’s election was largely on the presidential race, education had a lot at stake in key state-level decisions.
Governors
The first significant category of decisions was for governorships, for which 12 states held elections. Going into this month, Republicans held 31 offices, Democrats held 18, and an Independent led one state. In the 12 states with gubernatorial races, Republicans won six, Democrats won five, and one was still too close to call at press time.
The results put Republicans on track to tie or exceed a post-World War II record for the partisan control of governorships. See this link for an overview of the outcomes of each gubernatorial race.
Today, we are pleased to launch the online AACTE Advocacy Center to support your work in both federal and state advocacy. Please take a moment to visit the new center and explore the resources you’ve requested!
In this one-stop center, you’ll find downloadable advocacy guides, important hyperlinks, and an assortment of other digital resources. Want to catch up on the latest Federal Update webinar or blog post? Looking for contact information for your state legislators or tips on setting up a meeting with your representatives? Give us a visit!
On October 11, a TeachStrong event was hosted by the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia to offer solutions to concerns in the state about the preparation of novice teachers. The event, held jointly with the state’s education secretary, aimed to highlight successful programs and practices aligned with TeachStrong’s policy proposal around quality teacher preparation. (AACTE is a partner supporting the nine TeachStrong principles to elevate teaching.)
After a short welcome and introduction by Dean Robert Pianta and Virginia Secretary of Education Dietra Trent, a panel of five educators discussed programs run by George Mason University, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Commonwealth University. Well-planned clinical practices were the focal point of the discussion.
AACTE will host an interactive webinar next week discussing the intersection of educator dispositions, ethics, and law—and how teacher educators can assist their candidates in navigating the broad range of gray areas that they will face as professionals. Please join us!
Beyond the Obvious: The Intersection of Educator Dispositions, Ethics, and Law
Ed Prep Matters is pleased to bring you this special feature on state policy and AACTE state chapter activity. For similar recap articles from earlier months, browse the “State Directions” section of the blog.
Overview of State Policy Activity
Although almost all states’ legislative sessions have now adjourned for the year, September did have a bit of policy activity. Three bills were introduced in Michigan and Montana, including one in Michigan that would create a program to prevent teacher shortages in high-need subjects and geographic areas.
Several states, including Montana and Nevada, got a head start on the 2017 legislative session by prefiling bills, which gives us a preview of likely priorities for the coming year. For example, some of the prefiled bills relate to teacher loan forgiveness and standards for initial teacher licensure.
Ed Prep Matters is pleased to bring you this special feature on state policy and AACTE state chapter activity. For similar recap articles from earlier months, browse the “State Directions” section of the blog.
Overview of State Policy Activity
In August, legislatures actively met in only two states, Illinois and Alaska; most other states’ legislative sessions had adjourned. No educator preparation-related bills were introduced during the month, although California enacted one bill into law that will allow city or county boards of education to issue a temporary teaching certificate to an individual with an existing certificate, including one from out of state.
