27 Jan2022
By Leslie Ekpe
Congratulations to Ejana Bennett, Holmes Scholar of the Month, for January 2022. Bennett is currently a second-year doctoral student in the Curriculum, Culture and Change Ph.D. program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
Bennett’s research examines how teacher-critical racial consciousness impacts implementation of culturally relevant practices, student-teacher relationships, student learning outcomes, and student development, as well as opportunity gaps that positively address the racial/ethnic student-teacher mismatch.
26 Jan2022
By AACTE
Register today for the AACTE 74th Annual Meeting
Be part of the change this March 4 – 6, 2022, in New Orleans, LA, as we “Rethink, Reshape, Reimagine, Revolutionize, and Grow Our Profession Post Pandemic” during AACTE’s 74th Annual Meeting.
Hear from nationally renowned educator, education policy scholar, and best-selling author, Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., as she takes the stage to discuss her new book, Jim Crow’s Pink Slip: The Untold Story of Black Principal and Teacher Leadership.
26 Jan2022
New Apprenticeship Programs Funded by U.S. Department of Labor Work to Address Teacher Shortages and Remove Financial Barriers for Teacher Candidates
By Christine Chirichella
AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) supports the Tennessee Department of Education’s new Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship program as an innovative partnership approach to extend teacher pipelines and address teacher shortages.
In 2021, AACTE supported a federal application by the State of Tennessee and member institution Austin Peay State University (APSU) to create educator preparation-based Grow Your Own programs as acceptable apprenticeships for aspiring educators. After rigorous review and meetings with state and federal officials, AACTE endorsed the effort, which partners college or university educator preparation programs (EPPs) with local school districts to ensure teacher candidates are profession-ready upon entering the classroom.
Tennessee is the first state to sponsor Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship programs. Following approval from the United States Department of Labor (DOL), the state will establish a permanent Grow Your Own model, with a partnership between the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System and APSU’s Teacher Residency initiative becoming the first registered program in the country.
26 Jan2022
By AACTE
For nearly a decade, AACTE hosted the informational website containing assessment materials and resources to support the exploration and implementation of the edTPA as a communication partner with Stanford University and the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson.
Beginning in January 2022, AACTE transitioned out of its role as a communication partner and edTPA users are now being supported by the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson.
25 Jan2022
By AACTE
Now is the perfect time to use your AACTE Office Depot Savings Program and start the new year well stocked and organized. From Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like masks and air purifies, calendars and planners to paper, ink and toner, you’ll find just want you need.Use these exclusive member-only coupons to help you get started. Get up to $35 off your next qualifying purchase. The offer is valid through February 7, 2022.
25 Jan2022
By Margaret Gerry
The current demographics in the United States public school workforce are not representative of all students in American classroom settings. Though American classroom settings continue to grow in diversity, the teaching workforce remains predominantly white, middle class, and female. These racial inequalities in classroom settings may lead to biases, stereotype threats, and a need for more inclusive environments, thereby impacting student experiences in school settings in areas such as grades, disciplinary referrals, and teacher expectations of students. Across the field of education, stakeholders, including AACTE, are attempting to diversify the field in an attempt to improve the ability of our current teaching workforce to support their students who have different experiences from their own. In an era where, in the United States, our classrooms have never been more diverse with students from multiple cultures, socio-economic levels, and students with disabilities, how can we best prepare teachers to support all students in classroom settings?
25 Jan2022
By Brian Blackley
In 2021, AACTE supported a federal application by the State of Tennessee and member institution Austin Peay State University (APSU) to create educator preparation-based Grow Your Own programs as acceptable apprenticeships for aspiring educators. After rigorous review and meetings with state and federal officials, AACTE endorsed the effort, which partners college or university educator preparation programs (EPPs) with local school districts to ensure teacher candidates are profession-ready upon entering the classroom.
Paving the way for teaching and educator workforce development nationwide, the Tennessee Department of Education announced it has pioneered a new way to develop teacher pipelines, and is the first state to be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor to establish a permanent Grow Your Own model, with Clarksville-Montgomery County School System and Austin Peay State University’s Teacher Residency program becoming the first registered apprenticeship program for teaching in the country. Tennessee is the first state in the country to sponsor Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship programs between school districts and Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs), which will further the state’s and nation’s efforts to extend the teacher pipeline and address teacher shortages.
25 Jan2022
By Nicole Dunn
Since the historic SCOTUS ruling in 1982, Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico, which ruled that school boards cannot remove books because they disagree with them, describing libraries as spaces of “voluntary inquiry,” book bans and challenges have continued. The education field is based upon the values of intellectual freedom that were upheld by this and other Supreme Court decisions; however, the executive director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom recently stated in an interview, “We’re seeing an unprecedented volume of challenges.” While there is a formal “challenge” process for censoring information in libraries and curriculum, the enormous increase in political pressure has prompted some school districts to abandon their policies and begin pulling the books without undergoing this review process. As a result of not abiding by this process, which is legally reserved for challenging content that is “obscene,” books that overwhelmingly depict LGBTQ+ and BIPOC stories are removed from shelves, having been deemed “obscene” by local opinion.
24 Jan2022
By Kaitlyn Brennan
It was another busy week in Washington as lawmakers prepared for the congressional recess the following week. Conversations are heating up behind the scenes surrounding FY22 appropriations and a new iteration of the Build Back Better Act. Advocacy work will be critical in the coming weeks to ensure the historic proposals for education funding are included in both pieces of legislation.
24 Jan2022
By Matthew Wales
In just over a month, AACTE’s 74th Annual Meeting, Rethink, Reshape, Reimagine, Revolutionize: Growing the Profession Post Pandemic, will commence March 4-6, 2022, in New Orleans, LA. As conference preparations continue, know that the AACTE team remains committed to providing an enriching and engaging educational experience in an environment that promotes health and safety and follows the local COVID-19 guidelines and recommendations.
As of January 25, 2022, the city of New Orleans remains in Phase Three of their COVID-19 recovery plan. However, new regulations have been added to combat the spread of the Omicron variant. As a result, the following guidelines are currently in effect within the city:
20 Jan2022
By Sandy Pantlik
Texas State University students participating in the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) approved teacher residency program at Lockhart Independent School District (LSD) were surprised with $20,000 annual stipends awarded during a special event on Jan. 18 at Clear Fork Elementary.
The stipends, in the form of oversized checks, were presented to a cohort of 17 Texas State students who are embedded in Lockhart ISD for a full year, working with mentor teachers and engaging with students. The funds are meant to support the students financially while they are working in the residency program.
20 Jan2022
By Katrina Norfleet
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has announced four exemplary educators from across the country as finalists for 2022 National Teacher of the Year, all of whom have been prepared for teacher education by AACTE member institutions:
18 Jan2022
By Jean Cook and Shanderia Minor
The MDE is using American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to cover the grants.
The MTR will provide grants to the universities’ educator preparation programs to enroll diverse participants to work toward their graduate degree and Mississippi teacher certification. MTR will include training alongside a mentor teacher, testing support, professional development, ongoing assessment and a commitment to teach in a geographical critical shortage school or district serving low-income children, racial/ethnic minorities and children with disabilities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
18 Jan2022
By Oumarou Abdoulaye Balarabe
Sponsored by Ohio University’s Patton College of Education, the Holmes Council, and AACTE, the Holmes Scholars Leadership series is a free, four-part series of conversations that will explore the leadership trajectories and experiences of various individuals connected to the field of education. The series will launch on January 31 and continues through April 25. The first session, “Leadership Lessons: A Conversation with Established Leaders,” features Renée A. Middleton and Lynn M. Gangone. Participation is free. Register at tinyurl.com/yheh3tkc
18 Jan2022
By Nicole Dunn
As the role of the principal evolves, so too does the extent to which they play the role of instructional leader. As a vital part of student outcomes and teacher retention in schools, it’s alarming that new principal often have skill gaps when providing instructional coaching. Teacher retention is due largely in part to the support of their principal, which is why AACTE continues to advocate for quality education leadership preparation programming.
In the sixth episode of AACTE’s podcast covering the University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI), AACTE talks to Jason Grissom, author of How Principals Affect Students and Schools, about what the research says regarding instructional leadership. The episode also dives into Albany State UPPI program’s efforts to address the gaps in preparing principal candidates to be effective instructional coaches with UPPI Project Director Janice Carthon, and Felisa McDavid, who is a graduate of Albany State’s principal prep program and principal of St. James Elementary in South Carolina.
Listen now to Episode 6: Redesigning Instructional Leadership Training
