20 May2019
By Lynn M. Gangone
AACTE is committed to being your go-to-resource for the latest information, news, and trends in educator preparation. Being an AACTE member connects you to a vibrant community of educators and a strong network of support. Discover how to maximize your benefits and stay connected with AACTE in this month’s member update. Please take a few minutes to watch the video above (or read the transcript).
AACTE also wants to hear from you. Let us know the greatest challenge you face in educator preparation by emailing us at communications@aacte.org or contacting me directly at lgangone@aacte.org.
20 May2019
By Jane E. West
This blog post is written by AACTE consultant Jane West and is intended to provide update information. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
Today marks the 65th Anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court landmark decision that established the principle that separate is not equal. How far have we come? Much to contemplate here. You will see below that a House education panel spoke loud and clear on that topic: we have a long way to go.
- Trump Proposes Taking More Funds from Pell Grants – to Fund Moonshot? Huh?
This week President Trump submitted to Congress some revisions to his original budget request. Notably, he took back the proposed cut he originally made for Special Olympics (after great bipartisan outrage); but he also added a new cut in the form of an additional $1.9 billion to the Pell grant surplus. It appears that the Pell cut would go toward funding the President’s proposed 2024 NASA moonshot! Education advocates were outraged. As Jon Fansmith of the American Council on Education put it: “Do I want to make college more expensive to fund space travel to the moon and Mars?” Hmmmm …
The President had already requested a $2 billion cut in Pell funding. So the total $3.9 billion recission would result in the Pell surplus being exhausted by 2022! This request is likely to be ignored on Capitol Hill, as no one—Republican or Democrat—ever really contemplated cutting Special Olympics. And while the Pell Surplus has been modestly raided in the past, a $3.9 billion cut is highly unlikely.
20 May2019
By Lara Luetkehans
Educational technology is a critical component in the preparation of teacher candidates across the nation and the AACTE Annual Meeting is the prime opportunity to share best practices on how colleges of education are advancing technology in their programs. The AACTE 2020 Annual Meeting themed, “Disrupting Inequities: Educating for Change,” will take place February 28 – March 1 in Atlanta, GA.
The AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology encourages proposals for the 2020 Annual Meeting in the areas of technology, innovation and teacher education. We hope you are inspired to think about how your work in the active use of technology to enable learning and teaching connects with the conferences’ four strands. We have provided recommended ways on how to feature innovation and technology in your conference proposals:
17 May2019
By NCEE
The United States needs to rethink its approach to early childhood education and care (ECEC), based on the experiences of innovative systems around the world, and develop a cohesive system that is high-quality, equitable, sustainable, and efficient. This is the principal finding of the groundbreaking study from the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), The Early Advantage. An event to release the study was held in Washington, DC, on May 16.
The study examines how innovative jurisdictions around the world are strategically and inventively designing and implementing early childhood policies and services to advance children’s well-being, and provides policy recommendations to help the United States expand the reach, equity, and rigor of its early childhood offerings.
15 May2019
By JTE Insider
Read the latest JTE Insider blog interview by the Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) editorial team. This blog is available to the public, and AACTE members have free access to the articles in the JTE online archives—just log in with your AACTE profile.
This interview features insights from the article “Measuring Teaching Quality of Secondary Mathematics and Science Residents: A Classroom Observation Framework” by Imelda Nava, Jaime Park, Danny Dockterman, Jarod Kawasaki, Jon Schweig, Karen Hunter Quartz, and José Felipe Martínez. The article was published in the March/April 2019 issue of the Journal of Teacher Education.
15 May2019
By Jerrica Thurman
Connect with AACTE during the 2019 Leadership Academy at the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel, June 23-27. Conveniently located in downtown Pittsburgh in the Cultural District, the hotel is nestled on the riverfront, with many restaurants in walking distance. Discover why Pittsburgh was named the 2019 Food City of the Year when you make plans now to join us for this AACTE event!
During the Academy’s downtime, you can enjoy Pirates baseball at PNC Park (just across the bridge from the hotel), explore the Senator John Heinz History Center (which includes the original set pieces and exclusive artifacts from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”), and even experience the over 250 hands-on exhibits at the Carnegie Science Center. And as part of your Academy attendance, be sure to participate in our attendee outing to the Andy Warhol Museum as well. For a full list of Pittsburgh attractions and things to do, visit visitpittsburgh.com.
14 May2019
By Jerrica Thurman
Time is running out to volunteer as a member faculty to review proposals for the AACTE 2020 Annual Meeting. Submit reviewer applications by May 15.
AACTE is also accepting session proposals through May 29. Below are nine reasons to participate in the call for proposals for the 72nd Annual Meeting, themed “Disrupting Inequities: Educating for Change,” to be held in Atlanta, GA, February 28 – March 1, 2020:
Why become a proposal reviewer?
12 May2019
By Azaria Cunningham
Congratulations to Carlos D. Richardson, Holmes Scholar of the Month for May 2019! Richardson is currently a doctoral candidate at Bowie State University in Bowie, MD. His dissertation research examines “Factors that Influence Black Girls Participation in STEM. Richardson served as Holmes Scholars Council historian 2016-2017 and Holmes Scholar Council vice president 2017-2019, where he was influential in advocating for students from underrepresented populations.
Richardson teaches social studies at Friendship Collegiate Academy, an urban high school located in Washington, DC. He has served in a variety of roles over the years, including being a social studies subject area supervisor, extended learning coordinator, lead teacher, summer school principal and more. For the last 8 years, Richardson has also served as the coordinator of the Summer Enrichment Program, where students participate in over 16 extended learning programs that also serve as their summer job and receive pay as part of the Washington, DC Summer Youth Employment Program. Under Richardson’s leadership, the program has twice been named most outstanding school-led summer program by the Washington, DC Department of Employment Services.
In 2014, Richardson was named the Friendship Public Charter Schools Teacher of the Year, as well as being named the 2014 Washington, DC Public Charter Schools Teacher of the Year. Upon graduation, he plans to continue his career in the K-12 education system.
12 May2019
By Jerrica Thurman
Are you following highlights of the AACTE 2019 Washington Week on Facebook and Twitter at #AACTEWW19? In addition to blog posts and video highlights, AACTE recently released a Washington Week infographic on social media. Check it out below!
12 May2019
By Deborah Koolbeck
May has the Congress working hard! The U.S. House of Representatives (House) is moving forward at an intense pace on the 12 appropriations bills, moving the Labor, Health & Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill through the full committee first.
What are the funding levels for programs important for the profession? Where are the House and the U.S. Senate on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act? What else is unfolding that could impact the profession? These topics and more will be covered in the AACTE member exclusive May 2019 Federal Update webinar, offered on two different days and at different times of the day to accommodate member schedules. A recording of the webinar and the slides will be posted on the AACTE Advocacy Center’s federal page.
Register for the webinar that fits your schedule:
May 21, 2019 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EDT
Registration Link
May 22, 2019 11 a.m. – 12 noon EDT
Registration Link
12 May2019
By Jane E. West
This blog post is written by AACTE consultant Jane West and is intended to provide update information. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
I’m downright excited to have some GREAT news to report from Washington! Some of our leaders want to increase the federal INVESTMENT in public education! Hallelujah.
- House Moves Expansive Education Funding Bill through 8 Hour Marathon Mark up
This week Chair of the House Subcommittee on Labor/HHS/Education Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) successfully moved her spending bill out of the full Appropriations Committee. The bill retains its overall 6% increase for education from last fiscal year, bringing the Department of Education to $75.9 Billion, and features significant increases for key education programs.
12 May2019
By Amber Haley
I am thrilled to invite all Holmes Scholars to this year’s Research & Scholarship Expo! The 2019 Expo theme is Building Bridges: Promoting Impactful, Equitable Research. Sponsored by the Holmes Scholar Program and the College of Community Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida (UCF), this Expo will provide the opportunity to engage all doctoral students in conversations focused on research, scholarship, external grant funding, and the publication process while learning strategies to navigate higher education through mentorship, advocacy, and productivity. Faculty are also invited to attend and take part in the conversation.
The Expo will take place June 28-29, 2019 in sunny Orlando, FL on the beautiful UCF campus. The Keynote address will be delivered by David H. Jackson, Jr., dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research at Florida A&M University. It will conclude with a social gathering of participants to network and continue the conversation work.
Special online registration rates are available for all Holmes Scholars, Holmes alumnus, doctoral students, and faculty/mentors. Please visit
https://2019ucfholmesscholarexpo.eventbrite.com for more information and to register online. See you there!
08 May2019
By Allen Clarkson
Summer is a time when most educators are thinking about taking a break from the demands of the academic year and focusing their attention on matters outside of the classroom. That makes summer the perfect time for educators to reach out to the institutions off-campus that impact their work as teachers, including legislators, regulators, and colleagues at other academic institutions.
We must never lose sight of the fact that educator preparation is held accountable at the state level and that graduates of teacher programs move into the PK-12 system—which itself is predominantly funded and certainly accountable at the state and local level. For these reasons, it is key to engage with the state agencies, commissions, and other entities that comprise your state’s educator preparation accountability system.
We want to help you.
The AACTE Government Relations and Advocacy Committee is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, May 16 at 11:00 a.m., specifically designed to help educate educators on the procedures and practice of summertime advocacy.
08 May2019
By Jane E. West
This blog post is written by AACTE consultant Jane West and is intended to provide update information. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE. To view the full blog, visit janewestconsulting.com.
Congress is back from a two-week recess and education saw a lot of action this week!
- House Subcommittee Marks Up FY 2020 Funding Bill with a 6% Increase for Education!
This week, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) began the FY 2020 appropriations process by moving the Labor/HHS and Education bill through the subcommittee. Her first bill as chair of the subcommittee reveals an impressive high-water mark for education spending, raising the federal investment by 6% over last year. Lead Republican on the subcommittee, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), noted that he does not think the large increases in the bill will be supported by the Senate or the president and that at best, this disagreement will lead to a year-long continuing resolution or at worst, another government shutdown. Nonetheless, the bill was passed out of subcommittee and will likely be marked up by the full House Committee on Appropriations next week.
08 May2019
By Erica D. McCray
The CEEDAR Center will present Culturally responsive education: A course enhancement module (CEM) designed to ensure every educator meets the needs of each learner on Tuesday, May 21, 1:00 p.m. (ET). Registration is now open.
The CEEDAR Center, an OSEP-funded technical assistance center is proud to collaborate with national organizations, technical assistance centers, and stakeholders across the country to ensure that every student with a disability has an equitable opportunity to achieve. Teacher and leader development through policy, preparation, and program improvement is central to our mission. Our partnership with AACTE provides an opportunity to support AACTE’s strategic focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
