March 2016 State Policy Recap
Ed Prep Matters is pleased to bring you this special feature on policy and AACTE chapter activity in the states. For a summary of February’s state activity, see this article; January’s state activity is available here.
Overview of State Policy Activity
In March, at least 30 state legislatures met as part of their 2016 legislative sessions. At least 184 state bills were introduced related to educator preparation. Since the New Year, approximately 300 bills have been introduced, of which seven have been signed into law.
This month, a flurry of state policy activity occurred in Minnesota due to a teacher licensure report released by the state’s Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA). The report concluded that Minnesota teacher licensure laws are “complex and unclear.” In the past month, at least nine bills have been introduced focusing on the recommendations from the OLA’s report.
Also during March, 40 state regulations were proposed in 13 states that could affect educator preparation programs.
State Chapter Activities
On March 2, the Kentucky Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (KACTE) held its first state Day on the Hill in Frankfort. Eighteen institutions of higher education participated, and more than 60 people attended the event. At least a dozen state legislators and Governor Matt Bevin’s education aide attended a reception honoring the work of Kentucky’s educator preparation programs. KACTE’s web site includes numerous resources for other chapters interested in planning their own Day on the Hill including an informational flyer, a one-pager on how to set up meetings with state legislators, and tips for successful meetings with legislators.
In Oregon, nine independent colleges and universities participated in a Day in Salem. These institutions had introductory meetings with 27 state legislators, and the institutions expressed their interest in serving as a resource to the legislators.
If your state chapter has convened any recent state advocacy efforts, please let us know so we can share your story.
If you have any questions related to how AACTE can support your state advocacy efforts, contact me at agoldstein@aacte.org or (202) 478-4504.
Tags: state affiliate, state policy
