AACTE’s Holmes Program continues to grow, onboarding new programs and Scholars throughout the summer. Join AACTE in welcoming Holmes Scholars from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Old Dominion University to this vibrant community.
The AACTE Awards Program recognizes excellence in both member institutions and individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of educator preparation. In identifying notable programs, practices, and activities, the AACTE 2025 Best Practice and Professional Achievement Awards are now accepting entries through September 15.
Special education teachers and advocates are invited to utilize resources developed by CEEDAR to improve student outcomes, implement new strategies, and gain valuable leadership skills. AACTE collaborates with CEEDAR to offer insights from comprehensive educator preparation programs and educational partners who have excelled in recruiting and preparing candidates to become fully licensed special educators.
Do you want to feature your work at the AACTE 2025 Annual Meeting in Long Beach, CA, being held February 21 – 23? The theme, “Beyond the Horizon: Charting the Course for Educator Preparation,” illuminates the continuous forward-thinking AACTE members make in their work and aligns with the current Call for Proposals, as AACTE seeks those that share perspectives on addressing current issues and providing innovative ways to approach that which has yet to be considered in educator preparation.
Top 5 Tips for Submitting a Successful Annual Meeting Proposal
The deadline to submit a proposal is June 28. Learn more on AACTE’s website.
As Pride Month unfolds this June, AACTE commemorates the importance of fostering inclusive educational environments. Recognizing the imperative to integrate LGBTQ+ histories and perspectives into teaching curricula, AACTE provides members with essential resources to cultivate supportive spaces for students and teacher candidates of all identities.
Please see the following list of resources for educators curated by AACTE that will empower you to continue to be more inclusive in your teaching experience:
Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., is AACTE’s dean in residence and dean emerita of the School of Education and a professor of education policy at Howard University. Fenwick will facilitate the Deans of Color cohort, part of AACTE’s new Coaching initiative. In the following Q&A, AACTE asked Fenwick for a preview of her cohort’s coursework and what members can expect from participating in this new AACTE-exclusive experience.
Kandi Hill-Clarke, Ed.D., is the former dean of the College of Education at the University of Memphis and currently serves as provost fellow for Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development. Hill-Clarke will facilitate the New Deans cohort, part of AACTE Coaching. In the following Q&A, AACTE asked Hill-Clarke for a preview of her cohort’s coursework and what members can expect from participating in this new AACTE-exclusive experience.
Who inspired you to become an educator?
From a young age, I was inspired to become a teacher by my mother, a retired educator who taught elementary school for 40 years. I vividly remember helping her decorate her educational bulletin boards, watching her grade papers, and sitting in on after-school conferences. At the age of six, I knew that I would become a classroom teacher. This realization set me on a path to turn my dream into a reality, beginning with “teaching” my imaginary students in my grandparents’ living room, with the dining room serving as the school’s cafeteria. Pursuing a career in teaching was a choice I made intentionally and strategically and a goal I am proud I accomplished. Teaching is deeply ingrained in me, and throughout my career in higher education, I have been fortunate to both teach and learn in new and different ways as an academic leader.
Debbie K. Mercer, Ph.D., is the dean of the College of Education at Kansas State University. Mercer will facilitate the Effective Communication & Navigating Difficult Faculty cohort, part of AACTE’s new Coaching initiative. In the following Q&A, AACTE asked Mercer for a preview of her cohort’s coursework and what members can expect from participating in this new AACTE-exclusive experience.
Who inspired you to become an educator?
It was the women in my life that inspired me to become an educator. My grandma taught in a one-room schoolhouse, my mom went back to school when I was in college to earn her elementary education degree, and taught kindergartners and first graders throughout her career.
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.”
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).
AACTE is seeking entries for the Gloria J. Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book Award and James D. Anderson Outstanding Dissertation Award, to highlight the accomplishments, research, and writing of AACTE members in the field of educator preparation.
Are you ready to lend your expertise and assume a leadership role in the national educator preparation community, or do you know someone who is? Nominate yourself or a colleague to serve on one of the AACTE Programmatic Advisory Committees (PACs) by May 31.
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.
In the ever-changing landscape of higher education, navigating the complexities of leadership demands more than just expertise in pedagogy; it requires strategic vision, effective communication, and adept decision-making. Recognizing this, AACTE’s Leadership Academy is a cornerstone for empowering educator preparation academic leaders — deans, department chairs, and other administrators — to thrive in their unique roles.
Join AACTE June 18–20 in Cleveland, OH, where Leadership Academy will accelerate personal and professional growth, offering members a unique opportunity to hone their skills, collaborate with peers, and find solace in shared experiences. The New Deans Academy is open to those with less than three or less years of experience in their role and will be held on June 17.
Are you ready to delve into the heart of educator preparation advocacy? Look no further than AACTE Washington Week — set against the backdrop of the nation’s capital, June 3–5 in Washington, DC. This event promises an unparalleled opportunity to engage with key policymakers, thought leaders, and advocates in the field of education.
