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Webinar, Template Letter Available for Responding to Teacher Prep Regulations

Did you miss my webinar last week on the U.S. Department of Education’s latest action on the proposed regulations for teacher preparation programs? Don’t worry—you can view the archived slides and webinar recording online. You’ll get an overview of the supplemental notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) released April 1, along with some of the concerns and unintended consequences that could unfold. The webinar also reviews how to submit to the Federal Register.

In addition, we have posted a template letter for you to personalize and submit in response to the request for comment from the Department by the May 2 deadline.

Remember, the template letter is for you to add to or delete from as you see fit. Highlighted areas flag sections for you to add to in particular. This is your letter, and it is important that you personalize it with details about your programs and the great work you are doing. I received a lot of excellent questions during the webinar to which there were no clear answers, and I hope that you include these questions in your comment as you see fit. In particular, it is unclear how the regulatory definition of distance education will be applied to hybrid courses—part online and part in person—that reach candidates across state lines.

If you intend to submit comments under your official title and on institutional letterhead, we recommend reviewing your faculty and staff handbook for guidance and checking in with your institution’s government relations office. Remember, you can always submit as a citizen who happens to be a dean or faculty member.

Time is tight, but if you can speak to your PK-12 partners on this next step and ask that they submit comments as well, that would be great. The profession’s voice has impacted the process, and the process is not yet done.

Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of the profession! Please contact me with any questions at dkoolbeck@aacte.org or regs@aacte.org, or call (202) 478-4506.


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Deborah Koolbeck

Senior Director of Government Relations, AACTE