11 Feb2020
By Mary T. Brownell
Throughout the United States, schools are facing a critical shortage of special education teachers. This crisis is growing due to an emerging demand for special education teachers, coupled with a diminishing number of qualified candidates, recruitment challenges, and a high turnover rate. Reversing this crisis requires a multiprong approach that includes short- and long-term strategies to prepare and support teachers. Special education is complex, and one common type of instruction does not support all disabilities. To promote equity in education, we must ensure students with disabilities have access to proper assessment, resources, and qualified educators that correspond with their needs.
11 Feb2020
By Deborah Koolbeck
On Monday, February 10, 2020, the President kicked off the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget process by making his budget request to the Congress. Generally released on the first Monday in February, the delay reflects the delay in completing the FY20 appropriations process, which concluded on December 20, 2019. With a divided Congress, we should expect the Administration’s highest priorities to emerge as the heads of agencies and departments testify before the subcommittees of jurisdiction on the Appropriations committees later this spring. We will then learn the priorities of the Democratic Caucus leading the U.S. House of Representatives and those of the Republican Caucus leading the U.S. Senate, as subcommittee bills are released and marked up.
For the U.S Department of Education (Department), the President’s Budget Request cut the agency’s funding by $6.1 billion, or 8.4% from Fiscal Year 2020 levels. The key initiatives in the President’s Budget Request include the following:
Education Freedom Scholarships
This program establishes a federal tax credit program for voluntary donations to state-designed scholarships for elementary and secondary students offered by state-identified 501c3 non-profit entities. While these scholarships have been proposed before, this FY21 request includes and expansion of the opportunities for students and families.
10 Feb2020
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE is delighted to announce Indiana University School of Education as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives for its K-16 Global Education Initiatives across Indiana program. Vesna Dimitrieska, coordinator, Global Education Initiatives at Indiana University School of Education and Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
The uniqueness of Indiana University’s program lies in its structure as a joint program between its School of Education and its Hamilton Lugar School (HLS) of Global and International Studies, working collaboratively to create globally competent teachers. Hosted at the School of Education, the program ensures graduates enter the workforce with deep global knowledge and “strong fluency in the regional cultures, languages, and perspectives shaping our world.” By combining the resources that are available from the two schools, the program is providing equitable access to urban, suburban, and rural parts of Indiana and initiating, maintaining, and expanding partnerships with educators in schools from 18 different counties across the state.
10 Feb2020
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE has chosen an article by Amy Rector-Aranda, Ph.D. of Texas A&M University, the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Outstanding Journal of Teacher Education Article Award. Her article, “Critically Compassionate Intellectualism in Teacher Education: The Contributions of Relational-Cultural Theory,” was published in the September/October 2019 issue of the journal and will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
In the article, Rector‐Aranda explores how the critically compassionate intellectualism framework might translate as a framework for teacher education. Educational theorists Cammarota and Romero describe critically compassionate intellectualism (CCI) as a trilogy of critical pedagogy, authentic caring, and social‐justice oriented curriculum used to lift up previously disempowered Latinx youth. Because the compassion element in CCI is understudied in teacher education, yet crucial to the success of the framework as a whole, Rector‐Aranda applies the tents of Relational‐Cultural Theory (RCT) to enhance understandings of this component. Based in feminist theories of psychosocial and moral development, RCT expands the original framework to account for varied experiences of privilege and vulnerability when applying CCI to teacher education while retaining core emphases on relationships, empathy, and associate aspects of authentic caring. This study makes a conceptual contribution by offering an integrated framework for teacher education.
10 Feb2020
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE is delighted to announce Christina Restrepo Nazar, Ph.D. as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Outstanding Dissertation Award for Youth as Teacher Educators: Supporting Preservice Teachers in the Developing Youth Centered, Equity-Oriented Science Teaching Practices. The author completed her dissertation for the Ph.D. at Michigan State University College of Education. She currently serves as assistant professor of K-12 science education in the Charter College of Education at California State University Los Angeles. She will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
In her dissertation, Restrepo Nazar conducted three separate, but interrelated studies that examine the ways preservice teachers (PSTs) generatively developed youth-centered, equity-oriented pedagogical imaginaries in their methods courses and how they enacted these practice(s) in their field experiences. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand how and in what ways a science methods course can support PSTs in the critical uptake of youth (and community) knowledge(s) and practice(s) and how classroom communities in the field can shift/shape these enactments. In this work, Restrepo Nazar foregrounds youth counternarratives of the culture of power in science as a critical part of learning to teach science for PSTs—a study that has never been done before.
10 Feb2020
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE’s Committee on Professional Preparation and Accountability has selected Anthony Bryk, Ph.D., as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE David G. Imig Award for Distinguished Achievement in Teacher Education. Bryk is the ninth president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
In his current role, Bryk leads work to strengthen the research and development infrastructure for improving teaching and learning. From 2004 until assuming Carnegie’s presidency in September 2008, Bryk held the Spencer Chair in Organizational Studies in the School of Education and the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. His main areas of expertise are school organization, education reform, and educational statistics. His early work in educational statistics contributed to the development of Hierarchical Linear Models that has transformed statistical applications across a broad array of fields in the social and behavioral sciences.
10 Feb2020
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE is delighted to announce the selection of the nine authors of the book, Reclaiming Accountability in Teacher Education, as winners of the 2020 AACTE Outstanding Book Award. They will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
The book, published by Teachers College Press in 2018, provides the field of teacher education with a paradigm-shifting take on accountability, an issue that is central to the theory, policy, and practice of teacher education. The book’s insights and arguments are supported by rigorous scholarship regarding the historical, sociopolitical, and policy contexts of teacher education accountability. The authors created an eight-dimensional framework to critically examine the current dominant accountability paradigm, to deconstruct four influential accountability initiatives, and finally, to envision a new paradigm of democratic accountability.
“Their framework is powerful as a tool used not only for critique, but also for providing a structure for envisioning an entirely different accountability paradigm—one that values democracy, equity, professional responsibility, and deliberative and critical democratic education,” said Tamara Lucas, Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, Montclair State University.
10 Feb2020
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE is delighted to announce the Salisbury University School of Education as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Best Practice Award for Innovative Use of Technology for integrating maker education throughout its educator preparation program. Diallo Sessoms, associate professor, Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education, Salisbury University, will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
Salisbury University is pioneering the idea of “classrooms” as makerspaces, which will push future educators to inspire their students to be makers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. The official makerspace, a physical space for faculty and students to generate visceral experiences, opened in fall 2018. Both faculty and students are learning to infuse the maker mindset into their teaching philosophies by applying a combination of programming, design thinking, 3D modeling, and physical computing experiences. While the university’s educator preparation program has a stand-alone technology course, it is also emphasizing the integration of concepts across all instructional methods courses. To build capacity for in-service educators, the School of Education is also offering professional development in invention literacy for practicing teachers to increase play-based learning and makerspace access.
10 Feb2020
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE is delighted to announce Manhattanville College’s School of Education (SOE) in Purchase, N.Y. as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity for its Changing Suburbs Institute® (CSI) program. Shelley Wepner, dean and professor, Manhattanville College of Education, will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
CSI is a grassroots, school-university-community collaborative that was established in recognition of the increasing diversity in suburban school districts and to ensure that practicing and prospective teachers are prepared to teach an increasingly diverse student population. Now in its fourteenth year, CSI focuses on four major areas: teacher leadership/development, collaboration, dissemination of information, and parent education. To address teacher leadership/development, CSI has established Professional Development Schools (PDS) in 16 schools across eight districts in Westchester County. Each PDS has a Leadership Team comprised of a faculty liaison, teachers, and school administrators.
06 Feb2020
By JTE Insider
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.
In this interview, the JTE editorial team shares insights from Adrie A. Koehler, who writes on behalf of her work with co-authors Peggy A. Ertmer and Timothy J. Newby from their article “Developing Preservice Teachers’ Instructional Design Skills Through Case-Based Instruction: Examining the Impact of Discussion,” published in the September/October 2019 issues of the Journal of Teacher Education.
What motivated you to pursue this particular research topic?
06 Feb2020
By Ward Cummings
While many people are focused on the fact that 2020 is a presidential election year, it is important to note that much is happening at the state level. There are 11 gubernatorial races, all but 6 states have legislative elections, and there are many other measures that might require your vote. Where do you gather objective, non-partisan information about what will be on your ballot? Consider Ballotpedia, a digital encyclopedia of American politics. It is run by a nonprofit that is dedicated to compiling thorough, non-partisan information regarding state by state election/ballot activity in the United States.
Ballotpedia gathers information to support you in engaging in your democracy including:
- Databases of all upcoming elections, searchable by street address
- Dates for all elections and candidates, including off-year and special elections
- Times for Poll Openings and Closings organized by state
- Bios and contact information for all elected officials by district, down to the judicial and school board level, searchable by zip-code
- Databases of all upcoming state ballot measures, searchable by zip-code
- Fact-Checking of political reporting regarding issues under deep debate in your state
06 Feb2020
By Amanda Morales
This year will mark the fourth year that ACCTE’s Diversified Teaching Workforce (DTW) Topical Action Group (TAG) will host a preconference Institute. This year’s Institute: Advancing Research and Policy in Praxis, will convene a group of national leaders from colleges and universities across the United States to spotlight and explore innovative efforts for addressing ethnoracial teacher diversity across the teacher development continuum. The preconference will take place February 27, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
05 Feb2020
By Jenay Scribner-Brown
We are a couple of weeks away from AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, and AACTE is just as excited as you are. Get ready to accomplish your educational leadership goals by attending the Preconference Luncheon sponsored by The Wallace Foundation, Food for Thought: How to Successfully Develop and Support School Leaders, February 27, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
AACTE welcomes all preconference participants to attend an interactive discussion while enjoying their meal. The luncheon is free to all registered preconference participants. Attendees will hear from educational leaders:
- Andy Cole will highlight important work being done in the school leadership space to enhance the school leadership pipeline.
- Hayward Jean will share his journey to school leadership and the role of mentorship along the way.
Luncheon attendees also are invited to participate in a networking discussion on how to start planting seeds early to grow effective school leaders.
04 Feb2020
AACTE DEI Video: Building the Special Education Pipeline
By Katrina Norfleet
Ed Prep Matters features the “Revolutionizing Education” column to spotlight the many ways AACTE, member institutions, and partners are pioneering leading-edge research, models, strategies and programs that focus on the three core values outlined in the current AACTE strategic plan: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Quality and impact; and Inquiry and Innovation.
In the next segment of the AACTE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion video series, AACTE members address the critical shortage of special education teachers and how to ensure teachers can effectively serve students with disabilities. The video aligns with AACTE’s strategic priority to advocate for high-quality educator preparation and the inclusion of all students in equitable access and opportunity in PK-20 classrooms. In this DEI video, Building the Special Education Pipeline, leaders in educator preparation consider approaches to increasing the pool of highly qualified special education teachers.
04 Feb2020
By Cynthia Howell
This article originally appeared in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and the excerpt below is reprinted with permission.
A recent three-year drop in the number of people enrolled in Arkansas teacher preparation programs appears to have bottomed out, and the number is on the upswing, preliminary data from the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education show.
The number of enrollees in the state’s teacher preparation programs for 2018-19 was 4,443.
