21 Oct2024
By Anna Flanders
This article was originally published on the University of Northern Iowa’s website and is reprinted with permission.
Photo credit: Sheri Miller
The seven teachers that comprise the third-grade team in the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District in Vinton, Iowa, all share a special bond. Not only do they connect as educators in the same community, but they all can trace their roots back to the top producer of teachers in the state: the University of Northern Iowa. They share the same foundation through UNI Teacher Education — and a special affinity for donning UNI gear on Panther Fridays.
“I think there is a sense of pride and respect for one another,” said Shelley Haisman, a 1995 graduate. “When you meet a teacher who has graduated from UNI, there is a sense that you know they are going to do a great job because they have been well trained.”
21 Oct2024
By Jeremy C. Young
I’m pleased to share with you America’s Censored Classrooms 2024: Refining the Art of Censorship, PEN America’s latest annual report on state-level educational censorship laws aimed at colleges and universities. The report outlines a growing and sophisticated campaign to restrict academic freedom and campus free expression in the United States.
21 Oct2024
By Marc Siegel
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released results from the Oregon Statewide Assessment System’s spring 2024 summative tests, which highlights there is more work ahead to reach pre-pandemic academic performance levels. The results included key areas of progress statewide, with six out of seven grade levels showing improved math scores, while recovery in literacy scores has been slower and more uneven across the state.
Along with the data release, ODE has identified key areas for targeted action to support improved student performance, including continued and increased investment in K-12 literacy, support for summer and afterschool learning, refining data and policy practices, and developing an accountability framework.
21 Oct2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration today is announcing an additional investment of $70 million to expand student access to school-based mental health services across the nation. These grants support the President’s Unity Agenda for the nation and build on the historic levels of funding to address youth mental health provided under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership through the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). These efforts continue to bolster the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration (MHSP) grant programs at a time of increased need.
The Department has worked closely with federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as colleges and universities, to build the education system’s capacity to provide mental health services in school. Today’s announcement advances the goal set out by President Biden to double the number of school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other school-based mental health professionals.
16 Oct2024
By J. Kevin Taylor
The Center for Transformational Educator Preparation Programs (CTEPP) is offering a webinar on Friday, October 25, 2024 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. PST (3:00 to 4:30 p.m. EST) to share stories of change from our work over the past several years. Presenters will share practical examples of the process through which CTEPP teams have diversified their educator preparation programs. The webinar may be of interest to educator preparation faculty, administrators, policy groups, funding agencies, non-profits, legislators. We will share experiences from the inception of CTEPP through to advice and lessons learned by practitioners working to diversify educator preparation.
CTEPP supports California State University’s (CSU) educator preparation programs in advancing support to historically marginalized communities. Anchored in Key Transformation Elements, CTEPP employs a data-driven, collaborative change process to enhance equity-driven teacher preparation.
This is an online-only event. Register online or scan the below QR code to learn more.
15 Oct2024
By Marquita Grenot-Scheyer and Gayle E. Hutchinson
In 2023, the AACTE Board of Directors appointed a task force composed of current and former board members to study best practices in association governance and recommend ways that AACTE’s governance system can best enable the association to meet current and future challenges.
The task force has recommended changes to AACTE’s bylaws affecting board size and composition, the process for nominating and selecting board members, as well as the charge and composition of AACTE’s Executive Committee. All bylaw changes require member approval; late last month, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to refer the proposed bylaw revisions to a member vote, which will occur electronically in November.
15 Oct2024
By AACTE
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end, it’s essential to highlight the significance of amplifying Hispanic and Latin voices within educator preparation programs (EPPs). This celebration goes beyond cultural acknowledgment; it is about fostering a richer, more inclusive educational landscape.
According to 2020 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, one in every four children in the United States identifies as Hispanic or Latino. As this data continues to change, resources for educators to be inclusive of Hispanic or Latino identities are pertinent to utilize and implement into their work.
15 Oct2024
By Janine Bowen, NC State
The following article was originally posted on the North Carolina State University College of Education news website and was reprinted with permission.
Jessica Hunt, a professor of special education and mathematics education in NC State’s College of Education, is aiming to counter disparities in STEM learning through her work on a new, grant-funded project entitled “Building and Testing a Framework for Liberatory and Conceptual Mathematics Learning with Black Disabled Students.” The project will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Virginia and the University of California-Santa Cruz and is funded by $4,342,845 from the National Science Foundation, of which the College of Education will receive $1,040,523.
The project will establish and sustain a partnership with a cohort of Black disabled high school students to center their voices, knowledge, and experiences in the development of a theoretical coaching framework that addresses challenges while advancing conceptual mathematics learning and high school mathematics instructional practices.
15 Oct2024
By Sharon Newman
Did you know that a great principal can influence student achievement almost as much as an exceptional teacher? Research has repeatedly affirmed the importance of school principals.
“Principals really matter. Indeed, it is difficult to envision an investment with a higher ceiling on its potential return than a successful effort to improve principal leadership.”
According to “How Principals Affect Students and Schools,” the influence of a strong principal on student achievement is second only to that of an exceptional classroom teacher. In addition, principals contribute to other important outcomes such as school climate, educational equity, attendance rates, and teacher satisfaction and retention.
15 Oct2024
By Julie Ferin
The 2024 NACCTEP Fall Institute, Pathways to Teaching: Building Sustainable Registered Apprenticeships with Community Colleges, will highlight community colleges’ vital role in developing sustainable teacher apprenticeship programs that help cultivate the next generation of educators. With a focus on creating effective, long-lasting apprenticeship models, this event is designed to inspire and equip institutions with the tools they need to support future educators.
AACTE has been instrumental in shaping the National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards, working alongside the Pathways Alliance to develop innovative apprenticeship frameworks. This partnership underscores the importance of collaboration in building strong educational foundations.
Whether you share this information with your network or encourage colleagues to participate, your support can make a significant impact in reaching educators who would benefit from this opportunity. Together, we can ensure that educational institutions are prepared to launch successful apprenticeship programs that support aspiring teachers and strengthen the education system.
15 Oct2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is highlighting a series of resources available for students, families, borrowers, and schools and institutions of higher education impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. These resources include guidance, on-the-ground support, technical assistance (including in accessing federal resources), and peer-to-peer connections for state and local leaders; resources for recovery needs such as mental health support for students and educators and to restore learning environments; flexibilities to help institutions of higher education continue to manage the federal financial aid programs; and automatically enrolling affected borrowers with missed payments into a natural disaster forbearance. Thanks to regulations issued by the Biden-Harris Administration, this forbearance will count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness.
The Department is urgently working to support impacted states with recovery efforts. The Department’s Disaster Recovery Unit (DRU) provides leadership, financial and technical resources, and support to assist education communities with recovery following a natural disaster. The DRU also collaborates with Federal recovery partners to support disaster recovery and connects education entities with disaster recovery experts to support specific recovery solutions. Following Hurricane Helene, the DRU reached out to state educational agencies and over 500 institutions of higher education in the impacted disaster areas to inform these entities of financial assistance opportunities, including Project SERV funds, which provide short-term funding for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education that have experienced a violent or traumatic crisis, including weather-related natural disasters, to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning. The Department will conduct similar outreach following Hurricane Milton. The Department is exploring options to offer program flexibilities, including extending grant application windows and waivers.
08 Oct2024
By Marquita Grenot-Scheyer
After serving as AACTE’s first dean in residence, Leslie T. Fenwick completed her five-year tenure this month. On behalf of the AACTE Board of Directors, I offer our sincere gratitude for her years of service in this leadership role.
“While meeting Dr. Leslie Fenwick in 2018, I knew she was the person to become the inaugural AACTE dean in residence,” said former AACTE President & CEO Lynn M. Gangone. “As dean emerita of Howard University’s School of Education and a former AACTE board member, Leslie had the depth and breadth of experience and gravitas for the dean in residence position. I am grateful for all her contributions to AACTE over these past five years and even more so for her colleagueship and friendship.”
07 Oct2024
By Tunara Moore
As the AACTE 2025 Annual Meeting approaches, we are bringing you a preview of some of Long Beach’s most exciting attractions through our #RoadToAACTE25 social media campaign. The meeting, taking place February 21 – 23 in Long Beach, CA, promises to be both a professional and personal adventure for attendees.
Here are five must-see destinations to explore during your time in Long Beach:
- The Queen Mary
A historic ocean liner permanently docked in Long Beach; The Queen Mary is not only famous for its grandeur but also its reputation as one of the most haunted places in America.
07 Oct2024
By Illinois State Board of Education
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) today released early results from a $45 million state investment that show improved recruitment and retention in the state’s most understaffed school districts. The Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program, which was launched in the 2023-24 school year, provided 170 school districts that have the greatest teacher shortages state funds to invest in initiatives to recruit and license new hires and support retention of current educators.
Data is still being collected to assess the full impact of the funding, but ISBE and IWERC announced today that school districts participating in the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program have hired nearly 5,400 new teachers and retained approximately 11,000 additional educators with the funds so far. The districts receiving the Teacher Vacancy Grant collectively serve approximately 870,000 students.
07 Oct2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced $65.4 million in 12 new Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) awards and $1.7 million for two new awards under the Fostering Diverse Schools Demonstration Grant Program (FDS).
These awards build on the $20 million in MSAP grants the Biden-Harris Administration announced in May ahead of the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision and further the Administration’s commitment to providing every student with a well-rounded education and improving the opportunities for every student to successfully learn and achieve.
