Archive for May, 2024

Register for Webinar on Multicultural Education and Diversity at New York University

In the New York University (NYU) Teacher Residency (TR) program, faculty and staff believe that the best ideas, work, and results derive from collaboration.  The TR program undergoes collaboratively generated and consensus-driven changes and iterations each year, all in an effort to prepare diverse cohorts of residents to teach and meet their learners’ needs. On Tuesday, May 21, from 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ET, members are invited to learn more about this TR program by attending the AACTE Lunch & Learn, “Working Collaboratively Toward Antiracism, Equity, and Justice in EPPs. 

The Overwhelming Levels of Whiteness in Educator Preparation Programs 

Article 4 of Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective

Most would agree, even if they have never been one, that being a dean is difficult work; the average tenure of an education dean is four (4) to six (6) years (Wepner & Henk, 2020). But we do not know if there are differentials based on the person’s race/ethnicity. One level of Whiteness in EPPs is the faculty and staff who work within them. EPPs are composed of mostly White teacher education faculty who teach their pre-service teacher education students using a White-framed curriculum. Another level of Whiteness is the epistemologies that White EPP leaders deploy (Scheurich & Young, 1997; Teo, 2022). The authors of this article have experienced this latter form of Whiteness when they interviewed for EPP leadership positions (see Hartlep, 2025).

What is AsianCrit?

Article 3 of Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective

The “Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective” series is a multi-article study that aims to share the discoveries of a yearlong study that Nicholas D. Hartlep, Ph.D., and Rachel Endo, Ph.D., undertook during the 2023–2024 academic year. Their qualitative study explored the experiences of current and former Asian/American Education Preparation Program (EPP) leaders via surveys and interviews.

What is Critical Race Theory?

An extensive overview of Critical Race Theory (CRT) is located online. Tara J. Yosso, in her article “Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth” shares the image below that shows the different branches of CRT. Yosso writes, “CRT’s branches are not mutually exclusive or in contention with one another. Naming, theorizing, and mobilizing from the intersections of racism, need not initiate some sort of oppression sweepstakes—a competition to measure one form of oppression against another” (2005, pp. 72–73).

White House Education Expert to Keynote Washington Week

AACTE Washington Week, June 3 – 5, is just three weeks away, and members can expect a robust agenda diving into various topics within advocacy for educator preparation in the nation’s capital.

Jessica Cardichon, special assistant to the President for Education in the Domestic Policy Counsel will kick off the week’s events as the keynote speaker. Before this position, Cardichon served as education director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Majority under the chair, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont).

New EPP Leader? Register for AACTE New Deans Academy

Mark your calendars for the upcoming New Deans Academy, held on June 17 in Cleveland, OH, the premier gathering of teacher education leaders new to their roles in their institutions — designed for deans, chairs, and faculty leaders position who have been in their roles for three years or less.

Attendees can network with other new leaders facing similar situations and challenges  in their positions. The New Deans Academy will allow you to discuss with peers the successes in your role, challenges you faced, and help you find creative solutions to shared problems. In addition, you will also hear from presenters who will share insights into these topics.

Iowa Department of Education Awards Nearly $6 Million in Learning Beyond the Bell Grants To 67 Schools

The Iowa Department of Education today awarded nearly $6 million in competitive grants to 67 Iowa schools to create, expand, and sustain high-quality before-and-after school programs that support families and advance student achievement in partnership with community organizations.

“By expanding access to before- and after-school programs grounded in evidence-based best practices, Learning Beyond the Bell grants will support improved student achievement, strong attendance, and positive behaviors,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “The Department is leveraging additional federal funds to increase support for Learning Beyond the Bell grants from $3.5 million to nearly $6 million, encouraged by the tremendous response of schools and community organizations to this opportunity. We commend all of the awardees for their leadership in realizing our shared vision to bridge and close learning gaps through engaging students in dynamic learning and supporting working families beyond the school day.”

U. S. Department of Education Announces New Actions to Increase Access to School-Based Mental Health Services

The Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to increase access to school-based mental health services, including (1) nearly doubling investments in the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professionals (MHSP) grant programs in the current Fiscal Year; (2) making additional investments through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to improve the mental health and wellbeing of students and educators; and (3) offering new mental health and wellbeing trainings and resources for schools and educators.  

“Today’s announcements affirm the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment to tackling our youth mental health crisis,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We know students are more likely to access mental health support if it’s offered in schools. By nearly doubling funds this year for school-based mental health professionals, releasing additional funds to help advance a variety of mental health strategies, and providing additional training and resources, we are raising the bar for student wellbeing across the country.”  

JTE Co-Editors Reflect on 75 Years of Journal in Video

The Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) turns 75 in 2025. Now celebrating its 75th year of publication, JTE’s co-editors Cheryl J. Craig, Ph.D., and Valerie Hill-Jackson, Ed.D., sit down in a video discussion and reflect on its history and future. The duo also unpacks three special issues for Volume 75 on perennial issues in teacher education, family-school-community engagement, and a curated tranche of articles that nod to revolutionary research and leadership in teacher education. 

“There’s a feeling of accomplishment in getting this far,” Craig said. “We have to be resilient because our context is so contested.”

Register for the May 8 Family Engagement Educator Prep Webinar

AACTE has partnered with the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) on their Family Engagement Educator Preparation Innovation Project also known as FEEPIP. Do not miss the last webinar in their FEEPIP series this coming Wednesday, May 8 at 1:00 p.m. EST, “Building Systems to Support How Educators Learn to Engage Families and Communities.” 

This webinar highlights two innovation collaboratives to explore how they are sparking efforts to build stronger systems for preparing educators to engage families and communities.

Tools and Methods for Enhancing Candidates’ Practicum Learning Webinar

Trusted by over 200 institutions nationwide, ATLAS is the ultimate resource for educator preparation professionals developed by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. With over 1,400 meticulously curated video cases spanning subjects, grades, and school settings, ATLAS provides a comprehensive view of effective teaching practices.

In a new webinar, Tools and Methods for Enhancing Candidates’ Practicum Learning on May 13,  attendees will delve into real-world experiences from faculty members at Austin Peay State University (APSU), showcasing how ATLAS has transformed their teaching practices. Additionally, they will learn how ATLAS seamlessly integrates into practicum experiences, offering crucial support to both faculty and candidates.

In New Hampshire: Discovery Education to Produce New Civics Curriculum for Schools 

In an effort to bolster civics education throughout the Granite State, the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED) is partnering with Discovery Education to support the development of informed students who are eager and ready to participate in democracy.  
 
In March, the governor and executive council approved a $1 million contract between NHED and Discovery Education to provide high-quality curriculum and instructional materials for New Hampshire students and teachers to help them explore the history, heritage, and principles of the New Hampshire Constitution and government it established.   
 
In 2021, the New Hampshire Department of Education made Discovery Education content available, at no cost, to all New Hampshire educators when it selected the Discovery Education Experience learning platform to support local learning environments with high-quality instructional material. Through this initial partnership, 100% of New Hampshire schools can use the Discovery platform and have engaged more than 1.4 million learning experiences. Expanding on that partnership, the new civics curriculum will be organized within a custom New Hampshire Civics Channel on the Discovery Education platform that will roll out to educators this fall. To support the implementation of this resource and to help drive the return on the State’s edtech investment, this new phase of the partnership will also include comprehensive teacher training for the effective use of the resources. 

Biden-Harris Administration Releases New Data on Public Service Loan Forgiveness Approvals in Every Congressional District 

The Biden-Harris Administration released new data showing the breakdown of borrowers approved for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) by the Congressional District. The data showcase how every district across the country has borrowers who are part of the 876,000 individuals who have been approved for $62.8 billion in relief through this program. By contrast, at the start of this Administration, only 7,000 had been approved for PSLF.  

The approvals contained in the data are representative of the Administration’s unceasing efforts to fix the broken student loan system and restore the promise of discharge programs. The Administration has helped fix longstanding problems with PSLF through the limited PSLF waiver, while the payment count adjustment has also ensured that borrowers get accurate counts of progress toward forgiveness. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education (Education) also implemented new regulations designed to make it easier for borrowers to qualify for PSLF. 

Demographic Trends of PK-12 Teachers/Students and Higher Education Faculty/Students

Article 2 of Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective

The “Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective” series is a multi-article study that aims to share the discoveries of a yearlong study that Nicholas D. Hartlep, Ph.D., and Rachel Endo, Ph.D., undertook during the 2023–2024 academic year. Their qualitative study explored the experiences of current and former Asian/American Education Preparation Program (EPP) leaders via surveys and interviews. The first two articles of this series will set the stage for continuation.

In this article, the authors highlight current demographic trends of PK-12 teachers/students and higher education faculty/students. The authors argue that there is a democratic imperative that educator preparation programs (EPPs) diversify their leadership.