28 Mar2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
For March’s AACTE Holmes Scholar of the Month, we are thrilled to highlight Jaminque L. Adams, a doctoral candidate in the Educational Theory and Practice program at the University of Georgia (UGA). Adams’ research focuses on Black studies in education, centering the voices, labor, and experiences of Black women educators and their students. Her passion stems from her own journey as a student in Detroit Public Schools and a former teacher at a public charter school in Houston, TX.
Adams’ commitment to uplifting Black women educators shines through her impressive scholarly work and involvement. In the summer of 2023, she was a summer research fellow and later selected as a graduate research assistant for the Black Teacher Archive Project at Harvard University. She is currently guest editing a special issue of Educational Studies Journal titled “When We See Us: The Interior Lives of Black Women Educators and Their Students Within Carceral Spaces.”
26 Mar2024
By AACTE
AACTE has recognized Howard University with the 2024 AACTE Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives for its elementary education program that integrates global experiences into the curriculum. On Thursday, April 4, from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. ET, AACTE will host a Lunch & Learn where members can learn more about this program and how it serves as an exemplar in the intercultural, global, and cross-cultural arenas.
The Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives is sponsored by AACTE’s Committee on Global Diversity as part of its mission to ensure that a global/ international perspective is brought to policy and programs associated with the preparation of education professionals.
26 Mar2024
By Erika Moore
Navigating the dynamic landscape of higher education in Florida as a Black woman academic presents a unique set of challenges in today’s political climate. However, amidst these challenges lies an opportunity to catalyze transformation for future generations. As minority women, we often find ourselves in spaces where representation is lacking, our voices may be marginalized, and the path forward appears uncertain. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Black faculty represent only about 6% of all faculty in colleges and universities. Furthermore, 2% of full and 5% of assistant professors are Black women. Many Black women in academia struggle to find support from mentors and influential figures who can advocate for their advancement into leadership positions. Navigating one’s career becomes even more daunting when access to cultural or social capital is limited.
From my journey as an undergraduate student to a doctoral candidate, my mentors have instilled in me the belief that my presence in this space is a personal triumph and a legacy for those who came before me and those who will follow. This conviction has been my guiding light throughout my higher education journey. As a faculty member at a predominantly white institution (PWI), I intentionally mentor, coach, support, and empower minority women in academia. Mentorship is a powerful tool through which I aim to model the type of servant leadership needed in education.
26 Mar2024
By U.S. Department of Education
President Biden will email an additional 380,000 public service workers thanking them for their service and notifying them they are on track to have their debt cancelled through PSLF within two years
The Biden-Harris Administration announced the approval of $5.8 billion in additional student loan debt relief for 77,700 borrowers. These approvals are the result of fixes made by the Administration to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Today’s announcement brings the total loan forgiveness approved by the Biden-Harris Administration to $143.6 billion for 3.96 million Americans. This action builds on President Biden and his Administration’s efforts to provide debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible.
“For too long, our nation’s teachers, nurses, social workers, firefighters, and other public servants faced logistical troubles and trap doors when they tried to access the debt relief they were entitled to under the law. With this announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration is showing how we’re taking further steps not only to fix those trap doors, but also to expand opportunity to many more Americans,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Today, more than 100 times more borrowers are eligible for PSLF than there were at the beginning of the Administration. The Biden Administration is turning a promise broken under our predecessor into a promise kept.”
26 Mar2024
Championing Special Educators: Strategies for Recruitment & Retention in Educator Preparation, a Collaboration Between AACTE and CEEDAR
By Brooke Evans
On March 28, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, special education teacher advocates are invited to attend the next meeting of the national affinity group, Championing Special Educators: Strategies for Recruitment & Retention in Educator Preparation. This meeting will explore wellness strategies for teacher candidates.
Tyler Hester, Ed.D. and Hallie Fox, Ph.D., both of Educators Thriving, a nonprofit organization that supports educators thriving as professionals and people, will share the most common pitfalls that lead to educator burnout and the six factors that predict educator well-being. Additionally, Casey Woodfield, Ph.D. and Alicia Drelick, Ph.D., faculty in the Wellness and Inclusive Services in Education Department at Rowan University will share practical strategies and tools they have used with preservice teachers in the classroom to center wellness and to humanize their teaching practices. Meeting attendees will explore a range of tools that center wellness and model person-centered approaches in the classroom.
26 Mar2024
By North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Twenty North Carolina public school units (PSUs) will benefit from nearly $1 million in grants intended to expand and enrich Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. The Increasing Engagement in STEM grants, included in the most recent budget by the General Assembly, provide funds to PSUs to engage grades 6-8 students in experiential STEM education programs.
The grant opportunity generated significant interest across the state, with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) receiving 68 applications — 43 from local education agencies (LEAs), or school districts, and 25 from charter schools.
25 Mar2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
As the vice president of Holmes Scholars and an emerging scholar forging my own path, I am utterly resolute in amplifying the voices of fearless women leaders who are radically transforming educator preparation. For too long, the narratives shaping how we mold future teachers have been exclusive and upheld oppressive systems. But, trailblazing women are boldly dismantling these barriers through revolutionary leadership — and their impact demands thunderous celebration.
My role in Holmes Scholars has granted me witness to the seismic power of centering equity and justice. By elevating scholars from systematically marginalized backgrounds, we unapologetically disrupt the status quo. Our work challenges educator preparation programs to embrace culturally sustaining, anti-racist pedagogies as the unbending foundation. This is the path we must persist on with relentless courage.
25 Mar2024
By Nicole Dunn
AACTE is proud to offer financial and professional development support to Holmes scholars enrolled in doctoral studies in early childhood special education to help them take their research and careers to the next level through our partnership program with the Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center on Equity (ECIPC-E) at the University of Connecticut. This national initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, aims to enhance outcomes for infants and young children with disabilities and their families by bolstering the pipeline of skilled early childhood leaders and practitioners.
25 Mar2024
By Nicole Dunn
Are you looking to elevate your teaching practice to new heights? Look no further than ATLAS — the ultimate resource for educator preparation professionals. More than 200 institutions utilize ATLAS, a resource created by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. As a member of AACTE, you have the exclusive opportunity to access ATLAS at a discounted rate of 20% on both individual and institutional subscriptions — but time is running out. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer, as the discount expires June 30.
19 Mar2024
By AACTE
Are you ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? Registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2024 AACTE Leadership Academy, scheduled to take place from June 18 to June 20 in the vibrant city of Cleveland, Ohio.
Attendees will engage with higher education thought leaders, expand their network of supportive colleagues and peers, and develop strategies together. This academy will ensure that AACTE deans, department and program chairs, and other academic leaders are prepared to successfully navigate their roles and responsibilities on campus and achieve their goals and vision for the future of educator preparation.
19 Mar2024
By Tyler Pointer
Join AACTE on Tuesday, March 26, at 1:00 p.m. EST for Lunch with Lynn, to learn about the work of AACTE 2024 Edward C. Pomeroy Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education Winner, Kimberly A. White-Smith, Ed.D.
White-Smith, dean and professor at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego and vice president of the California Council on Teacher Education, will join AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D. to share her insight on the realm of teacher education. White-Smith has over 25 years dedicated to urban schooling and educator development and has been a fervent advocate for academic justice, particularly for marginalized communities.
19 Mar2024
By AACTE
Volume 75 Issue 2 of the Journal of Teacher Education (JTE 75.2) is now available online. This volume marks the 75th publication year of JTE, which prompted authors Valerie Hill-Jackson, Ed.D., and Cheryl J. Craig, Ph.D., to share the historical timeline of the editors’ terms in an editorial, “Where the Good Ideas Are’: 75 Years of the Journal of Teacher Education.”
The editorial details the story of how the myriad of editors for the Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) safeguarded a space to highlight ideas essential to research of preservice and in-service teacher education within an ever-changing global context for nearly 75 years.
19 Mar2024
By AACTE
On behalf of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D., issued the following statement today regarding President Biden’s FY 2025 budget investments:
“AACTE and its member colleges and universities applaud President Biden’s commitment to ensuring that all children benefit from well-prepared, fully qualified teachers,” Gangone said. “We look forward to working with Congress to enact this funding, which will support innovative educator preparation models that are resulting in increased enrollment in educator preparation programs across the country.”
19 Mar2024
By AACTE
After seven years of committed service, Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D., CAE, president and CEO of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) has announced her plans to retire later this year.
AACTE is composed of higher education member institutions and programs that prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty.
19 Mar2024
By AACTE
To help members comply with new final regulations from the U.S. Department of Education for programs that lead to state professional licensure or certification, AACTE has developed a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs). The new regulations apply to all institutions that participate in federal student aid programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (e.g., Pell Grants, Federal Student Loans).
Staff at the U.S. Department of Education have reviewed the document for accuracy, but it is not a substitute for official Department of Education guidance. AACTE offers this FAQ to assist member institutions with planning while they await the publication of official guidance.
