Archive for 2022

Kentucky School Leaders Prepare December Grads for Interviews, Teaching Careers

(Left to right:) Karen Lymon, Megan Barnes, John Moore, Chelsea Clark, Cynthia Bruno and Michael Price.

When University of Kentucky clinical instructor Joni Meade prepares to say goodbye to each class of teacher candidates from the UK College of Education, one of her final tasks is assembling a group of Kentucky school personnel. 

Together, the school personnel — principals and other district leaders — create a simulation for graduating seniors in elementary education to put the finishing touches on their interviewing skills and prepare for the hiring process.  

Register for #AACTE23: Attend the Premier Educator Preparation Meeting

Beat the Price Increase and Register by January 6

Are you ready to join your peers at the AACTE 75th Annual Meeting and be among the nation’s leading thought leaders exploring the latest research and practices in revolutionizing education for all learners? Now is the time to reserve your spot at the largest professional gatherings for the educator preparation field. Register by the January 6 to take advantage of the early bird savings.

2023-24 Holmes Council Call for Nominations is Now Open

AACTE and Holmes Scholars Council are pleased to announce the call for nominations to serve on the 2023-2024 Holmes Council. Both current Holmes Program doctoral and master’s students are eligible and encouraged to run for office. The Council partners with AACTE and serves as a student voice to communicate the needs and experiences of scholars and enhance the Holmes programming.

Joining the Holmes National Council has been an amazing opportunity to serve my peers alongside talented and creative fellow council members. So far, I have enjoyed my time and experience as the President of the Council. This opportunity has allowed me to better understand and further develop my interests in cross-cultural competence, leadership, and service. As president, my duties include convening and leading the Council executive board meetings, assisting on various committees, and serving as a spokesperson for the AACTE Holmes Program. I am grateful for the supportive spirit of my fellow Council members and the cultural sensitivity that has characterized our collaborative working environment. I am so happy I gave this opportunity a shot! I encourage you all to consider this wonderful leadership and service opportunity.  

-Oumarou Abdoulaye Balarabe, Holmes Council President 2021-2023 Holmes Scholar at Ohio University

AACTE’s New Advocacy Campaign is Underway: Members Share Ways to Support Education and Educator Preparation

AACTE is amplifying the voices of its member advocates for education and educator preparation through the AACTE 75 Days | 75 Ways to Advocate for Education campaign, a celebration of AACTE’s role as a leader in advancing educator preparation for 75 years.

“It is extremely important that we place the needs of students at the center of all we do,” says AACTE Board of Directors Chair-Elect Monika Williams Shealy. “In order to do that, we need to support educators who are advocating on behalf of their students and themselves and we need to make sure that we are advocating for education preparation.”

Congress Releases Spending Bills

Congress released the details of the annual spending agreement reached this week that will fund most of the federal government, including the Department of Education, for the remainder of the fiscal year. 

By law, these bills should have been completed by September 30. However, due to disagreements over various spending and other legislative priorities between the two parties and the House and Senate, the government has been funded by a series of continuing resolutions, which financed the government at previously agreed upon levels.

Senate Strikes Efforts to Overturn Rules on Allocating Federal Funds to Charter Schools

This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.

On Friday afternoon President Biden signed a short-term funding bill, otherwise known as a continuing resolution or CR, that will keep the government open and funded through December 23. The CR keeps the government open and freezes funding levels at their FY22 levels while appropriators finalize a deal for the FY23 spending bill. Stay tuned as we now have one final busy week in Washington before Members of Congress break for the holiday.

In the States: A Look at FAPE and Faith-based Schools

The new “In the States” feature by Kaitlyn Brennan is a weekly update to keep members informed on state-level activities impacting the education and educator preparation community.

OCR Enters Resolution Agreement with Virginia’s Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP) Regarding the use of Restraint and Seclusion

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that the Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP) in Virginia entered into a resolution agreement regarding the use of restraint and seclusion and the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities. OCR identified concerns that SECEP may have denied FAPE to students with disabilities when it did not reevaluate students after multiple incidents of restraint and seclusion and when students missed significant instructional time.

SchoolSims Webinar Highlights Research on the Impact of Simulations on School Leader Preparation

In the latest webinar hosted by SchoolSims, titled “Evidence of the Impact of Simulations on School Leader Development and Preparation,” a panel of experts in educational leadership discuss their research on school leader preparation and development and the impact of experiential learning opportunities through simulations. Panelists include including Sara Dexter, Ed.D., Jennifer Bailey, Ed.D., David De Jong, Ed.D., Mike Johanek, Ed.D., and Trent Grundmeyer, Ph.D.

The purpose of the webinar is to provide context for the potential impact of simulation practice as a targeted professional development method that may go beyond pre-service preparation and continue as a learning pathway for in-service school leaders and teachers by examining the most recent research on leadership and teacher development.

AACTE Contributes to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact

As we review the accomplishments of 2022 and look toward a New Year, AACTE is honored to have been one of the national organizations to have contributed to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (ITMC), recently finalized and ready for enactment by states.

Especially in the era of extraordinary teacher shortages, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (ITMC) creates the opportunity for classrooms across our country to have a profession-ready teacher guiding and supporting student’s academic growth.

AACTE Welcomes New Holmes Scholars

The Holmes Program continues to expand with exceptional graduate students and future education leaders.  We are proud to welcome new scholars from Boston University, University of Florida, University of North Florida, and George Mason University to the Holmes community.

Announcing #AACTE23 Schedule and New Early Registration Date

Schedule Now Available for #AACTE23

The Annual Meeting is a world-class experience and AACTE’s most exciting event of the year – and this year, you’ll have the unique and memorable experience of celebrating 75 years at the 2023 Annual Meeting, February 24 – 26 in Indianapolis.

The early bird registration has been extended to January 6, 2023. Register early to take advantage of the early bird rate.

The #AACTE23 meeting attracts leaders, professionals, and students from across the country — drawing upon all the disciplines that make up the educator preparation field. This year, you can expect more options for professional development and educational opportunities at the Learning Lab and Deeper Dive sessions, as well as tours, networking events, and receptions to connect with your peers. Check out the current schedule of events.

Countdown to #AACTE75Days75Ways

AACTE is excited to begin sharing the remarkable tips received from its members and colleagues for our 75 Days I 75 Ways advocacy program. This campaign was established in connection with AATCE’s 75th Anniversary and to help raise national awareness of ways to advocate for change that ensures every student has access to an equitable education and highly trained and qualified teachers in their classroom.

ASU Invites You to Virtual Next Education Workforce Summit 2023

We are excited to share information about Arizona State University’s upcoming Next Education Workforce Summit on Feb 8–9. There will be opportunities to engage with experts and speakers around diverse topics and see what this work looks like in the field from featured school partners. The conversation will be better with you in it. Learn more and register before the early bird rate expires on December 23.

This fifth annual event is hosted by ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and includes sessions from experts from K–12, research, policy, government, advocacy, nonprofit, edtech, and business.

National Educator Shortage Summit: Be Part of the Conversation

The National Educator Shortage Summit, J is an interactive event that convenes focused groups of PK-12 and higher education stakeholders to address the challenges of the national shortage of teachers and the teacher pipeline to share ways to replicate practices via a national strategy. Central to this conversation will be the use of data and collaboration in sharing promising practices. Above all we hope this Summit will start comprehensive conversations among these groups in the education community and serve as a place where they can pool different perspectives. The event, held January 19-20, 2023 in New Orleans, LA, will take place at the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District Hotel but you can also stay at the Courtyard New Orleans Warehouse Arts District.