Archive for October, 2016

Sharon Robinson to Retire in July 2017

Press Release

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(October 18, 2016, Washington, DC) – The AACTE Board of Directors today announced the planned departure of President and Chief Executive Officer Sharon P. Robinson. After more than a decade at AACTE, Robinson will retire in July 2017.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I would like to thank Dr. Robinson for her many contributions to AACTE,” said AACTE Board of Directors Chair Jane Bray. “Since 2005, Dr. Robinson has led AACTE to achievements well beyond our expectations and has challenged our profession to aspire to great heights. AACTE is met with mixed feelings as Dr. Robinson deservingly transitions into retirement. We are happy for her next phase of life and grateful for her wonderful tenure, yet we realize she leaves a cavernous hole for us to fill.”

Award Application Deadline EXTENDED to Oct. 26

AACTE has extended the application deadline for the 2017 Best Practice and Professional Achievement Awards until October 26! Now you have an extra 2 weeks to submit an entry through AACTE’s online submission site or to finish an entry you have already started. For detailed submission information, please refer to the official Call for Entries.

Our Best Practice Awards recognize your institution’s exemplary and innovative work in one of three areas:

Gafford Named Oct. Holmes Scholar of the Month

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Congratulations to October Holmes Scholar of the Month Cara Gafford!

Gafford is a 4th-year doctoral student at Bowie State University (MD). She is also academy director (vice principal) of the Academy of Information Technology at Friendship Collegiate Academy, a college preparatory high school in Washington, DC.

Her research interests include science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and student achievement in STEM learning at high-poverty schools.

AACTE Urges Scrutiny of Final Federal Regulations for Teacher Prep. Programs

Press Statement

(October 12, 2016, Washington, DC) – Today, the U.S. Department of Education released its final rule on the regulations for each of our nation’s 26,000 teacher preparation programs. The official version will be published in the Federal Register by the end of the month, and the Department is expected to release guidance in the coming weeks as well. AACTE is carefully analyzing the new rule and urges members and stakeholders to do the same to determine its potential impact on the profession.

Annual Meeting Early Bird Registration Closes Oct. 19

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Time is running out to take advantage of the Early Bird Registration rate for AACTE’s 69th Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida! This special offer expires October 19 at midnight EDT.

At the Annual Meeting, you’ll get a high value for your registration dollar. Hundreds of enriching sessions, networking opportunities, multiple meals and receptions, and access to the latest research and best practices are all included – giving you a great bang for your buck!

Oct. 25 Webinar to Discuss ESSA Title II Guidance From Dept. of Ed.

NOTE: This webinar has been postponed until further notice.

The U.S. Department of Education released guidance (see PDF) for the implementation of Title II of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in late September. I’ll discuss the guidance and its implications in a free webinar for AACTE members October 25 at 4:00 p.m. EDT.

As you might recall, Title II of the new law is focused on recruiting, preparing, and retaining high-quality teachers, principals, and other school leaders. With many allowable uses of funds for both state and local education agencies to engage in, it is vital that educator preparation be at the table with opportunities and options in hand to support the workforce pipeline of the profession.

Linda Darling-Hammond to Headline AACTE Speaker Spotlight Session

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Linda Darling-Hammond will be the featured presenter at the AACTE 69th Annual Meeting Speaker Spotlight Session on March 4, 2017. As an internationally acclaimed thought leader in education, Darling-Hammond will share the latest research and policy analysis on issues affecting educational equity and quality.

Darling-Hammond is president of the Learning Policy Institute and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus at Stanford University (CA), where she is faculty director of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Her research and policy work focuses on educational equity, teaching quality, and school reform. She has advised school leaders and policy makers at the local, state, and federal levels. In 2008, she served as director of President Obama’s education policy transition team. She is a former president of the American Educational Research Association, a former member of AACTE’s Board of Directors, and a member of the National Academy of Education as well as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Webinar Series to Highlight NIC Lessons for Diversifying Teacher Pipeline

AACTE is excited to launch a new webinar series highlighting the experiences and findings of each of the 10 institutions in the AACTE Black and Hispanic/Latino Male Teachers Initiative Networked Improvement Community (NIC). Kicking off Thursday, October 20, 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. EDT, the inaugural webinar is “Diversifying the Teacher Pipeline at MidAmerica Nazarene, Western Kentucky, and UConn: Lessons From AACTE’s NIC.”

The goal of this NIC is to identify and test strategies to increase the percentage of Black and Hispanic/Latino men receiving initial teaching certification through educator preparation programs. This webinar series will provide an inside look at the path of inquiry guiding the NIC’s work and process and how that has shaped and changed recruitment and retention of Black, Hispanic, and Latino male teacher candidates at each institution.

Celebrate National Principals Month This October

The month of October is known for colorful trees, last-minute election campaigning, and ubiquitous pumpkin-spice flavoring. But it’s also National Principals Month, a time designated to recognize school leaders in your programs, in your neighborhood, and around the country. Please join AACTE in celebrating their leadership and partnership on behalf of student and teacher development!

National Principals Month gives us the opportunity to honor and reflect on the contributions of principals and the importance of preparing them well. Marked by national and state resolutions, formal awards and recognitions, and other official acknowledgments, this celebration allows us to say “thank you” to principals across the nation.

CAEP Seeks Accreditation Chief, 2017 Conference Proposals; Fall Conference Draws 1,400 Participants

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More than 1,400 education professionals turned out for the 2016 Fall CAEP Conference (CAEPCon) in partnership with AACTE, held September 29–October 1 in Washington, DC.

The conference opened the afternoon of September 29 with words of welcome from AACTE President/CEO Sharon P. Robinson and CAEP President Christopher Koch. Robinson said that AACTE “stands shoulder to shoulder with CAEP to make accreditation a reality,” and that “we believe in accreditation because accreditation adds value.”