30 May2018
By Zachary VanHouten
The U.S. Department of Education has formally published a notice inviting applications for a new Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant cycle. Interested applicants should notify the Department by June 11 of their intent to apply, with completed applications due 4:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 26.
The TQP grant program, authorized in Title II of the Higher Education Act, is the only federal initiative designed to strengthen and reform educator preparation at institutions of higher education. AACTE has long advocated for this program, which funds partnerships between institutions of higher education and high-need schools and districts to develop master’s-level residency programs or to reform undergraduate preservice preparation programs.
29 May2018
By Matthew Wales
In just a few weeks, new and aspiring academic leaders from across the country will gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for AACTE’s annual Leadership Academy. This popular professional development experience provides attendees the opportunity to advance their leadership skills while exploring a wide range of topics including garnering and allocating resources, promoting your unit and program, and managing your personal and professional time.
Even if you have attended AACTE’s Leadership Academy in the past, you might want to consider returning this year, June 24-28, as the program has implemented new, interactive content that will continue to develop your critical skills. (View the full schedule here.)
29 May2018
By Janeula Burt
On June 4, AACTE will welcome more than three dozen students to the Holmes Summer Policy Institute in Arlington, Virginia, as part of the Association’s Washington Week. This annual institute connects students with advocacy work at the intersection of education research and policy.
Throughout the day, interactive panel discussions will explore topics such as advocating for students of color, using social media for research and advocacy, and partnering with grass roots organizations and other advocacy groups. Featured panelists will include representatives from national organizations and associations such as UNCF, EdTrust, and HBCU Buzz. The Holmes institute participants will also receive a policy briefing and join an evening reception with the leaders of AACTE’s state chapters.
29 May2018
By Amanda Lester
AACTE is pleased to announce a new feature in the Research-to-Practice Spotlight Series focused on the clinical residencies and partnerships of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego School of Education.
The first set of videos, linked above, introduces many of the key players in the programs visited by AACTE staff last year. Faculty, school and district partners, program graduates, and current students share their perspectives on the impact and rationale for offering a yearlong residency embedded in the Syracuse City Schools and community.
29 May2018
By Lynn M. Gangone
As the school year nears its end, teachers everywhere are contending with mounting time pressures, waning resources and energy reserves, maybe even an epidemic of spring fever. For some teachers, though, the frenzy and frustrations seem to last all year–and they may feel isolated, underappreciated, and powerless to change the situation. AACTE President/CEO Lynn M. Gangone has this message to encourage them to strengthen their capacity to both support students and thrive as successful members of the professional community.
As a teacher, you’re focused on helping students. You draw from your content knowledge, determine appropriate pedagogy for the particular child and context, and forge connections with resources to support each learner’s growth. What’s more, these practices benefit more than just the young people in your care–teachers, too, thrive with a rich support network in their community and tailored opportunities to learn and grow as professionals.
29 May2018
By Jerrica Thurman
The Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) is currently recruiting participants for the 2018-19 fellowship year. EPFP is a 10-month professional development experience delivered in partnership by the Institute for Educational Leadership and 17 site partners.
What makes the Fellowship unique is its intentional focus on three pillars:
29 May2018
By Kristin McCabe
Are you ready to get ahead this summer?
Make progress on your program’s quality assurance plan, get advice on interpreting your assessment data, and develop your understanding of evidence for accreditation–all at the AACTE Quality Support Workshop! Please join us for this interactive event in Columbus, Ohio, August 2-4.
29 May2018
By Kristin McCabe
Teachers of color continue to be in high demand and short supply, says a new report from the Learning Policy Institute, and policy makers should put more weight behind promising practices to improve both recruitment and retention of teachers of color.
The report, authored by Desiree Carver-Thomas, finds the overall population of teachers of color is growing–but not keeping up with changes in student demographics. Latino/a teachers in particular are underrepresented in schools compared to students, Carver-Thomas reports.
21 May2018
By Kristin McCabe
A new website aims to equip state education agencies to support principals for better serving students with disabilities. AACTE is among nearly two dozen organizations convened by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to develop the site’s content.
The resulting online guide, Supporting Inclusive Schools for the Success of Each Child: A Guide for States on Principal Leadership, outlines eight strategies for states to embed expectations for inclusive principal leadership in policy and practice:
18 May2018
By Monique Matute
Congratulations to May Scholar of the Month Erica Reid of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)!
Originally from upstate New York, Reid earned her B.A. in English from the University at Albany and a M.S. in secondary education from the College of Saint Rose. She began working for UNLV in 2016 as an instructional designer for the Plus Center, creating modules for the hospitality industry training programs. Before joining the UNLV staff, she served as a secondary English and language arts teacher, licensed to teach grades 6-12.
18 May2018
By JTE Insider
Have you seen the JTE Insider blog managed by the Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) editorial team? Check out the following interview with the authors of a recent article. This blog is available to the public, and AACTE members have free access to the articles themselves in the full JTE archives online–just log in with your AACTE profile here.
The January/February 2018 issue of JTE contains an article by Mary Beisiegel of Oregon State University, Rebecca Mitchell of Pine Manor College (MA), and Heather C. Hill of Harvard University (MA) titled “The Design of Video-Based Professional Development: An Exploratory Experiment Intended to Identify Effective Features.” The article is summarized in the following abstract:
18 May2018
By Brian P. Yusko
The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
In the face of continuing criticism of teacher preparation, the Ohio Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (OACTE) has worked to advocate for sensible teacher preparation policy. Although advocacy was not something many in OACTE envisioned would factor into their higher education careers, we have come to believe that advocacy is not only important, but essential, to the continued health and evolution of teacher education work.
18 May2018
By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.
Do you ever find that you have to leave your office to make progress on important work? At your desk, the urgent can often crowd out the important so that, at the end of the day, you know you were incredibly busy but can’t say that you made progress on any of your real priorities. Leaving the office can be a great way to set aside the day-to-day tumult and really focus.
When you need to tackle the important work of measuring, improving, and assuring the quality of your educator preparation programs, AACTE is ready to help. The 2018 Quality Support Workshop, August 2–4 in Columbus, Ohio, will help you make rapid progress on your quality assurance plan.
15 May2018
By Kevin Graziano, Teresa Foulger, Denise Schmidt-Crawford and David Slykhuis
The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
The Teacher Educator Technology Competencies (TETCs) have been finalized, thanks to feedback from many of you, and we are excited to invite you to put them to use–and to tell us about them!
The Need for Technology Competencies for Teacher Educators
Last year, we reported to you on our progress developing the TETCs, which aim to address the “digital use gap” among teacher educators and their ability to prepare PK-12 teachers to teach with technology.
10 May2018
By Kimberly Tobey
The author is executive director of the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP), an affiliate member of AACTE, which is partnering with AACTE to better align each organization’s members around common work (see this article). The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
I recently had the privilege of flying into Kansas City, Missouri, to attend an education training; as a first-timer to the city I took complete advantage of the amazing barbeque and love for basketball. While my time in the city was grand, one of the most eye-opening moments of my stay had to do with a little tunnel system within the city called The Link. What I found most intriguing about this system, and I know similar ones exist in other cities, is the fact that it was such a useful aid. The Link connected two distinctly different hotel chains, kept me out of the adverse weather conditions, and provided the necessary directions to get me to my next stop—and it immediately reminded me of the NACCTEP partnership with AACTE.
