Archive for November, 2017

Shared Vision Advances Teaching, Learning for District-University Partners

Three new videos are available this week in AACTE’s Research-to-Practice Spotlight Series highlighting clinical preparation and partnerships of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) College of Education. The latest videos focus on creative approaches to addressing teacher shortages, the importance of a shared strategic vision, and the simultaneous renewal that benefits all parties in the clinical partnership.

A shared vision is the cornerstone of the multifaceted partnership between the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and the neighboring Clark County School District. Thanks to the strength and clarity of this vision, the partners have been able to take risks and innovate in ways that advance the work of all involved.

Embracing the Power of the Professional Community

As AACTE Board Chair, I have shared and reflected monthly on several of our AACTE core values. This month, I would like to focus on one of our most important core values: professionalism.

This value calls for AACTE members to prepare teacher candidates to be not only successful educators, but also members of the larger professional community. Candidates should graduate from their programs with a clear understanding of the ethical responsibilities of being an educator and be equipped to contribute to the greater good in communities, school districts, and society.

Call for Nominations: Teacher Diversity Research Award

AACTE’s Diversified Teaching Workforce (DTW) Topical Action Group invites you to register for a free institute and to nominate individuals – by December 15 – for the 2018 DTW Teacher Diversity Research Award.

The second annual Diversified Teaching Workforce Institute will convene February 28, 2018, at the AACTE 70th Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. The institute will unite a group of national leaders at colleges and universities across the United States to spotlight and explore innovative efforts for addressing racial/ethnic teacher diversity across five key areas: recruitment and retention, teacher preparation, mentorship, induction and professional development, and advocacy.

Education Deans Sought for Focus Groups

UPDATE: Please sign up for a focus group by December 21.

What factors contribute most to the longevity of education deans in their positions? Are there optimal lengths of time for education deans to stay in their roles, and if so, how long and why? What are the personal and professional benefits of remaining in the role as education dean for an extended period?

We invite currently serving education deans who have at least 7 years of experience in this role to participate in one of several focus groups. These focus group sessions, supported by AACTE, will last 45 to 60 minutes and will be conducted during the weeks of January 8 and January 15, 2018, using electronic conferencing technology.

Holmes Scholar of the Month: Monique Matute

Congratulations to Monique E. Matute, Holmes Scholar of the Month for November 2017!

Matute is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in special education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). This is her second year in the doctoral program, and she is also a graduate assistant.

Matute is a determined doctoral student who exemplifies hard work and dedication to the field of special education. Her research interests are the disproportionality of African American males in special education and applied behavioral analysis. She strives to present critical issues and implications on overrepresentation and underrepresentation of students from culturally linguistic and diverse backgrounds in special education.

Webinar to Discuss High-Quality Preservice Preparation for School Leaders

On Thursday, November 30, AACTE will host a free webinar on preparing principals for effective leadership, with support from The Wallace Foundation. Please join us from 3:00-4:00 p.m. EST for Principals as Transformation Leaders: High-Quality Preservice Preparation.

Considering the impact of school leaders on student achievement, principal preparation programs have a huge responsibility to best prepare individuals to lead our nation’s schools. Yet a recent report by the Wallace Foundation, Improving University Principal Preparation Programs: Five Themes From the Field, indicates there is concern that many university-based programs need curricular redesign and stronger connections to school districts. The panelists on this webinar will discuss the need for reform in principal preparation and examples of quality innovations.

Access #AACTE18 Session Details at Your Fingertips

Event Planner Banner

Check out the full lineup of sessions and presenters at the 2018 Annual Meeting now available through AACTE’s Event Planner at http://planner.aacte.org. View session titles and descriptions, presenters’ names, and locations all at your fingertips through mobile or online access to the Event Planner.

In recent years, AACTE has offered enhanced technology to foster robust interaction with event participants by providing the Event Planner as the go-to-resource for the Annual Meeting.

Priority on Building Relationships Yields Partnerships That Serve Whole Community

Three new videos are available this week on AACTE’s Research-to-Practice Spotlight Series highlighting clinical preparation and partnerships of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) College of Education. The latest videos focus on building relationships and meeting real needs throughout the community, including the need for a move diverse and culturally competent teaching workforce.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) College of Education has carefully cultivated relationships that generate support not only for its teacher candidates but for the needs of the Clark County School District (CCSD) and the broader surrounding community. The continuously evolving partnerships thrive thanks to a culture of collaboration around solving authentic problems in the community.

Holmes Dissertation Retreat 2017: A Recap

This year’s Holmes Dissertation Symposium and Retreat was sponsored by the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Florida A&M University (FAMU). It was held October 27-28 on the beautiful campus of UCF, providing attendees with a plethora of information to advance their scholarship and practical knowledge.

The conference began with a welcome by Dean Pamela Carroll of the University of Central Florida, Dean Monika Shealey of Rowan University, and Tim Finklea of AACTE. Shealey challenged us to use the support provided through the Holmes network, to glean from each other and all of the presenters at the symposium, and to take this as an opportunity to learn from others before us.

New AACTE InTouch Segment Shows How Community Partnerships Can Combat Teacher Shortage

Today, AACTE released the second video segment of the AACTE InTouch mini-documentary series, “How Community Partnerships Can Combat Teacher Shortage." Teacher shortages are a growing concern and while there are many causes, one emerging solution is to create a supportive and collaborative environment through sustainable partnerships.

The new video educates viewers on how university, school, and community partnerships aid in creating a robust pipeline and conditions critical to recruiting and retaining teachers. It addresses three important topics: why partnerships are important to preparing good teachers; what types of partnerships can support teaching; and examples of successful partnerships.

NEA Releases Analysis of House Tax Bill

Today the National Education Association (NEA) released an analysis of the U.S. House tax reform bill, H.R. 1, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” to project the impact on PK-12 education of the elimination of the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction for individuals (the tax plan permits corporations to keep this deduction).

In a press release, the NEA highlighted the potential effect of this single elimination: “The impact of eliminating SALT on public education is nearly equal to the education jobs lost during the Great Recession. By most accounts, the country lost about 300,000 education jobs during that time.”

Sign Up for Member-Exclusive Federal Update Webinars in November, December

As the tax reform debate wages on in Congress, and as many other items linger on the agenda, there is much to accomplish in Washington by the year’s end. Many of the items will have an impact on the education community. Let AACTE help unpack and process some of the latest developments for you by joining our free, members-only November and December Federal Update webinars.

To accommodate busy end-of-year schedules and various time zones, AACTE offers each webinar at two different dates and times. Click on your preferred date/time below to register.

Come Early to Baltimore for AACTE Preconference Events

Arrive early to sharpen your skills with colleagues who share your academic and research interests at the 2018 AACTE Annual Meeting in Baltimore. Before the conference officially begins, the following special preconference events will be held Wednesday, February 28. Sign up now to secure your spot – space is limited!

Quality Assurance: Moving Beyond Data Collection Toward Assuring Quality
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. / $50

This interactive workshop is designed to help educator preparation providers reflect, share, and learn about how to design and implement an assessment system that will meet their local, state, and national standards, while demonstrating the continued quality of their programs. Facilitated by members of AACTE’s Committee on Professional Preparation and Accountability.

Tax Reform Process Begins in U.S. House

Last week Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means introduced a tax reform bill, H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and scheduled the markup to start November 6 and continue until the work is completed. This process was initiated via reconciliation through the Fiscal Year 2018 budget resolution.

Prior to the markup beginning, Brady offered a manager’s amendment making changes to the original bill, and the markup (watch it live and view additional resources here) allows committee members to offer amendments.

Radio Recap: The Clinical Preparation of Special Educators

In a recent Education Talk Radio program, host Larry Jacobs interviewed members of AACTE’s new Special Education Task Force about how best to prepare special educators—particularly in light of their current shortage around the country.

Jacobs’ guests for the October 26 show included AACTE Vice President Rodrick Lucero; Brian R. Barber, assistant professor of special education at Kent State University (OH); Valeisha Ellis, assistant professor and edTPA coordinator at Spelman College (GA); and Karmen Kelly, business officer in the School of Social Work at Colorado State University. All are members of the new AACTE task force, which is supported by a grant from the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center.