28 Oct2024
By Erin James
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced the availability of PAsmart Advancing Grants to expand access to computer science and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education for learners across the commonwealth.
“STEM and computer science skills prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow, no matter what zip code they come from or where they plan to live in the future,” said Education Secretary Khalid Mumin. “Pennsylvania’s future depends on the development of a highly skilled workforce able to compete in the global economy. Equitable access to STEM and computer science programs gives students the skills they need to chart their own course and succeed.”
28 Oct2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced the next step in its ongoing efforts to provide student debt relief — a set of proposed rules that, if finalized, would authorize loan forgiveness for approximately 8 million borrowers experiencing hardship. If these rules are finalized as proposed, the Secretary of Education could waive up to the entire outstanding balance of a student loan when the Department determines a hardship is likely to impair the borrower’s ability to fully repay the loan or render the costs of continued collection of the loan unjustified.
“For far too long, our broken student loan system has made it too hard for borrowers experiencing heartbreaking and financially devastating hardships to access relief, and it’s not right,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The rules proposed by the Biden-Harris Administration today would provide hope to millions of struggling Americans whose challenges may make them eligible for student debt relief. President Biden, Vice President Harris, and I will not stop fighting to deliver student debt relief and create a fairer, more just, and more affordable student loan system for all borrowers.”
28 Oct2024
By The Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released the latest round of findings from the School Pulse Panel (SPP). These SPP data examine the hiring cycle of summer 2024 and community collaborations during the 2024-25 school year, as reported by school leaders in U.S. public schools. All data can be found on the SPP interactive dashboard. Below is a summary of some key findings from this release.
24 Oct2024
By AACTE
AACTE’s Holmes Program continues to grow, welcoming three new scholars for October from Indiana University Bloomington, Clark Atlanta University, and Sacred Heart University.
24 Oct2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
AACTE recognizes Samira Bashiru of Purdue University as the October 2024 Holmes Scholar of the Month. Bashiru is a dedicated Ph.D. candidate in special education who embodies the spirit of academic excellence and community engagement that defines the AACTE Holmes Scholars Program. Her journey from Ghana to the United States exemplifies her commitment to advancing inclusive education and supporting diverse learners.
Research Focus
Bashiru’s research centers on evidence-based strategies and practices that support families and enhance the creativity and development of children with or without disabilities. Her particular interest lies in creativity in culturally and linguistically diverse learners with real or perceived disabilities, a focus that addresses a critical need in today’s diverse educational landscape. She has published a systematic review listed at the end of the article entitled “Best Practices for English Learners with Disabilities in US Schools – A Systematic Review.” Currently, Bashiru is working on two research papers:
- Evidence-based practices for English Learners with disabilities
- Creativity in preschoolers with and without speech disorders
22 Oct2024
By AACTE
Most people care about the future of education — and AACTE members turn that commitment into action at the Annual Meeting.
This is your chance to help build a stronger foundation for tomorrow’s classrooms. Be among the nation’s educator preparation leaders and continue driving the change you’re passionate about at the AACTE 2025 Annual Meeting in Long Beach, CA, on February 21 – 23.
22 Oct2024
By Tyler Pointer
Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D.
AACTE announced today that Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., will become the new president and CEO, beginning January 6, 2025. Holcomb-McCoy joins AACTE after serving as a distinguished professor and dean of the School of Education at American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., for over eight years.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors of AACTE, I welcome Dr. Holcomb-McCoy as our next president and CEO,” said Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Ph.D., chair of AACTE’s Board of Directors. “Dr. Holcomb-McCoy’s vision and passion for educators, students, and their families are clear, and her collaborative experiences in PK-12 through higher education will serve her well as she leads our organization forward.”
During her tenure at AU, Holcomb-McCoy implemented various programs that heightened the visibility of the school within the University and on a national stage. Notably, at the start of her tenure at AU, the School of Education was housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, serving approximately 250 students. Under her direction, the unit became a stand-alone school in 2019 and now supports more than 1,500 students.
21 Oct2024
By Anna Flanders
This article was originally published on the University of Northern Iowa’s website and is reprinted with permission.
Photo credit: Sheri Miller
The seven teachers that comprise the third-grade team in the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District in Vinton, Iowa, all share a special bond. Not only do they connect as educators in the same community, but they all can trace their roots back to the top producer of teachers in the state: the University of Northern Iowa. They share the same foundation through UNI Teacher Education — and a special affinity for donning UNI gear on Panther Fridays.
“I think there is a sense of pride and respect for one another,” said Shelley Haisman, a 1995 graduate. “When you meet a teacher who has graduated from UNI, there is a sense that you know they are going to do a great job because they have been well trained.”
21 Oct2024
By Jeremy C. Young
I’m pleased to share with you America’s Censored Classrooms 2024: Refining the Art of Censorship, PEN America’s latest annual report on state-level educational censorship laws aimed at colleges and universities. The report outlines a growing and sophisticated campaign to restrict academic freedom and campus free expression in the United States.
21 Oct2024
By Marc Siegel
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released results from the Oregon Statewide Assessment System’s spring 2024 summative tests, which highlights there is more work ahead to reach pre-pandemic academic performance levels. The results included key areas of progress statewide, with six out of seven grade levels showing improved math scores, while recovery in literacy scores has been slower and more uneven across the state.
Along with the data release, ODE has identified key areas for targeted action to support improved student performance, including continued and increased investment in K-12 literacy, support for summer and afterschool learning, refining data and policy practices, and developing an accountability framework.
21 Oct2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration today is announcing an additional investment of $70 million to expand student access to school-based mental health services across the nation. These grants support the President’s Unity Agenda for the nation and build on the historic levels of funding to address youth mental health provided under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership through the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). These efforts continue to bolster the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration (MHSP) grant programs at a time of increased need.
The Department has worked closely with federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as colleges and universities, to build the education system’s capacity to provide mental health services in school. Today’s announcement advances the goal set out by President Biden to double the number of school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other school-based mental health professionals.
16 Oct2024
By J. Kevin Taylor
The Center for Transformational Educator Preparation Programs (CTEPP) is offering a webinar on Friday, October 25, 2024 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. PST (3:00 to 4:30 p.m. EST) to share stories of change from our work over the past several years. Presenters will share practical examples of the process through which CTEPP teams have diversified their educator preparation programs. The webinar may be of interest to educator preparation faculty, administrators, policy groups, funding agencies, non-profits, legislators. We will share experiences from the inception of CTEPP through to advice and lessons learned by practitioners working to diversify educator preparation.
CTEPP supports California State University’s (CSU) educator preparation programs in advancing support to historically marginalized communities. Anchored in Key Transformation Elements, CTEPP employs a data-driven, collaborative change process to enhance equity-driven teacher preparation.
This is an online-only event. Register online or scan the below QR code to learn more.
15 Oct2024
By Marquita Grenot-Scheyer and Gayle E. Hutchinson
In 2023, the AACTE Board of Directors appointed a task force composed of current and former board members to study best practices in association governance and recommend ways that AACTE’s governance system can best enable the association to meet current and future challenges.
The task force has recommended changes to AACTE’s bylaws affecting board size and composition, the process for nominating and selecting board members, as well as the charge and composition of AACTE’s Executive Committee. All bylaw changes require member approval; late last month, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to refer the proposed bylaw revisions to a member vote, which will occur electronically in November.
15 Oct2024
By AACTE
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end, it’s essential to highlight the significance of amplifying Hispanic and Latin voices within educator preparation programs (EPPs). This celebration goes beyond cultural acknowledgment; it is about fostering a richer, more inclusive educational landscape.
According to 2020 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, one in every four children in the United States identifies as Hispanic or Latino. As this data continues to change, resources for educators to be inclusive of Hispanic or Latino identities are pertinent to utilize and implement into their work.
15 Oct2024
By Janine Bowen, NC State
The following article was originally posted on the North Carolina State University College of Education news website and was reprinted with permission.
Jessica Hunt, a professor of special education and mathematics education in NC State’s College of Education, is aiming to counter disparities in STEM learning through her work on a new, grant-funded project entitled “Building and Testing a Framework for Liberatory and Conceptual Mathematics Learning with Black Disabled Students.” The project will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Virginia and the University of California-Santa Cruz and is funded by $4,342,845 from the National Science Foundation, of which the College of Education will receive $1,040,523.
The project will establish and sustain a partnership with a cohort of Black disabled high school students to center their voices, knowledge, and experiences in the development of a theoretical coaching framework that addresses challenges while advancing conceptual mathematics learning and high school mathematics instructional practices.
