NDACTE Meets With State Officials to Discuss Proposed Regulations
With the February 2 deadline fast approaching to comment on the proposed federal regulations for teacher preparation programs, the North Dakota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NDACTE) has wasted no time in developing comments and reaching out to our state officials to express our concerns with the proposed regulations. As questions and concerns mount regarding the proposed regulations, the members of NDACTE felt it was necessary to discuss them with officials in our state.
We met with both North Dakota’s governor and the state Department of Education to discuss the proposed regulations. The Department of Education officials and governor’s office voiced support for our concerns and said they would be sending a letter of comment to the U.S. Department of Education.
NDACTE leaders also scheduled appointments with the policy advisers for their congressional delegations in order to inform them of the proposed regulations’ implications for higher education-based teacher preparation.
In addition, 100% of NDACTE members agreed to submit a minimum of four letters of comment from each institution on the regulations. The membership includes three tribal institutions, at least one of which will focus comments on the potential disproportionate impact of the regulations on minority-serving institutions.
As we enter the final week for commenting on the proposed regulations, I encourage each of you to reach out to your state officials and urge them to submit a comment. Let them know how these regulations will affect not only your institution but also the state. Share with them the resources AACTE has developed and your own comment letter.
It is the profession’s responsibility to inform the U.S. Department of Education and other officials of our concerns regarding the proposed regulations—and the potentially disastrous consequences they will have for teacher preparation programs, states, and schools across the nation.
Tags: federal issues, state affiliate, state policy
