20 Jul2021
By AACTE
On behalf of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement on the House Appropriations Committee passage of the fiscal year 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill:
“AACTE is deeply gratified to see such an historic investment in education, and particularly in educator preparation. While our members have advocated for years, indeed decades, for such investments, this is the first time Congress has responded with such a robust bill. These unprecedented increases will make a significant difference in addressing the long-term deficits in our nation’s education system. They will enable our nation to address the critical shortage of educators and the lack of diversity in our profession in transformative ways. AACTE urges Congress to pass this legislation and send it to President Biden for his signature as soon as possible.”
02 Jun2021
By AACTE
While we love engaging conversations within Connect360, we also love seeing friendly faces and updated bios on profiles! Updating your profile enables others to learn more about you. Adding your bio, job history, and interests encourages your colleagues to engage and collaborate with you within the community.
01 Jun2021
By AACTE
On behalf of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement on President Joseph R. Biden’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget:
“Today, President Biden let educators know that he has heard our voices loud and clear. The unprecedented investments called for in his FY 22 budget proposal begin to redress the chronic inequities in our nation’s education system. With a new $20 billion Title I Equity grant, a $1 billion program to double mental health professionals in schools, and a significant increase in Pell grants, educators can envision a future where every student is on a pathway to success. The President’s budget reflects a full understanding of the crisis in our educator pipeline and recommends robust increases to address it. AACTE is thrilled to endorse President Biden’s vision and commitment to a fully equitable education system. We are eager to work with Congress to make these requests a reality.”
27 May2021
By AACTE
Watch this video to learn more about AACTE Connect360 and visit aacteconnect360.org to get involved. For the latest in what’s happening with AACTE’s new online community, follow us at #AACTE360.
04 May2021
By AACTE
Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages
On behalf of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement to celebrate educators during National Teacher Appreciation Week:
“One of the most pervasive truths in American public education is that great teachers transform lives. COVID-19 illuminated the vital role teachers play in our communities. As parents struggled to balance work, supervise virtual classrooms, and co-educate their children, a new awareness and appreciation arose for the influence, importance, and value of teachers. Educators across America have learned new technologies, created innovative ways to reach students online, and, above all, kept education moving forward. As we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, AACTE thanks these critical front-line workers for their adaptability, ingenuity, and dedication and recognizes the difficult circumstances they face in returning to the classroom.
29 Apr2021
By AACTE
On behalf of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement on President Biden’s American Families Plan:
“President Biden today released the American Families Plan, which includes a transformative investment in our nation’s education system from early childhood through higher education. In addition to calling for free community college and free, universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds, the plan targets a $9 billion investment in teacher education and support.
28 Apr2021
By AACTE
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) today officially launched its new online community, AACTE Connect360, the premier connection circle for engaging and collaborating to advance educator preparation. The virtual platform enables teacher educators, candidates, and partners to engage in meaningful discussions, exchange ideas and resources, and share best practices on real-time issues impacting the profession. With user-friendly features, AACTE Connect360 enables the Association’s members to easily access their professional community for the support they need during these unprecedented times in education.
“AACTE members are committed to advancing educator preparation through cutting edge research and innovative practice and offer a wealth of knowledge on best practices in preparing high-quality teachers. AACTE developed the Connect360 online community to enhance the exchange of knowledge and provide access on-demand to solutions that address the rising challenges in education today,” said Matthew J. Wales, AACTE vice president, member services and events. “AACTE Connect360 gives members a place to connect virtually, which is especially critical while not able to convene in-person meetings and events due to COVID-19. This interactive platform brings together AACTE’s community in an exciting and engaging way.”
26 Mar2021
By AACTE
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) released today its new video series featuring promising practices for recruiting and retaining male teachers of color. AACTE created the Black and Hispanic/Latino Male Teacher Initiative Networked Improvement Community (NIC), which included a 5-year study by 10 AACTE member institutions that implemented improvement science to address the shortage crisis of Black and Hispanic/Latino profession-ready male teachers. Key findings from their research are featured in the video case studies, where the NIC participants present their experiences and lessons learned. NIC members describe effective ways for reducing barriers, developing partnerships, building recruitment pathways, providing mentorship, and offering faculty training to diversify the profession.
04 Mar2021
By AACTE
The American Association of Colleges Teacher Education (AACTE) has launched a new initiative to advance the use of simulation in science educator preparation. AACTE recently received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Discovery Research PreK-12 convening grant to address the critical need for well-qualified science educators who can teach effectively in a variety of face-to-face and virtual school settings and meet the needs of diverse learners.
02 Mar2021
By AACTE
AACTE congratulates Miguel Cardona as the new U.S. Secretary of Education, sworn in today by Vice President Kamala Harris. AACTE recognizes Secretary Cardona as a lifelong educator who understands the importance of professional, high-quality educator preparation programs. AACTE and its members stand ready to work with the head of the U.S. Department of Education for ensuring that our nation’s educators are profession-ready and have the necessary resources to help students effectively achieve academic success.
“Secretary Cardona has a strong record on education and has served our nation’s elementary and secondary students at nearly every level,” said Lynn M. Gangone, AACTE’s president and CEO. “We are deeply concerned about the shrinking pipeline of candidates in educator preparation programs as well as the learning loss and growing deficits of children’s socio-emotional needs exacerbated by the pandemic. We look forward to working with Secretary Cardona to address these challenges as well as diversifying the teaching field so that it better reflects the nation’s student population.”
07 Jan2021
By AACTE
The following statement was included in a Washington Post article on January 7.
AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement today regarding the horrific events that took place yesterday, January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol building:
“Our nation experienced a serious threat to our treasured democracy as rioters stormed one of our nation’s sacred buildings, the U.S. Capitol, intending damage and insurrection. We witnessed a challenge to our democracy that none of us could ever have imagined. Generated by our nation’s President, some Members of Congress, and their denial of the results of our free and open electoral process, this unlawful invasion of the Capitol has left us all stunned. Never could we imagine such an event would occur in our nation’s capital, the seat of our democracy.
We are further outraged by the vast difference in how these rioters were treated by police as compared to how peaceful protesters for Black Lives Matter have been treated. The discrepancies are stark and maddening.
05 Jan2021
By AACTE
AACTE has launched a new initiative to examine state-level teacher certification assessment scores, with the goal to improve equitable and inclusive practices for promoting a diverse educator workforce. The initiative, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will enable AACTE to develop national guidelines and recommendations for state education leaders in establishing criteria for equitable evaluations for teacher candidates seeking state licensure.
“Left uninterrogated, standardized tests of any sort tend to spur inequalities, rather than resolve them,” said Leslie T. Fenwick, AACTE dean in residence. “If entrance exams are decimating the ranks of prospective pre-service teachers of color, we have a moral and practical obligation to correct the outsized impact of these tests on the future of our profession.”
18 Dec2020
By AACTE
(December 18, 2020, Washington, D.C.) The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement today regarding the new Secretary of Education under the Biden-Harris administration:
“AACTE has happily submitted recommendations and participated in discussions with the Biden Transition Team regarding what is needed to rebuild and revolutionize education. We have highlighted the critical need for a COVID-19 relief bill, provided critical suggestions for the first 100-day executive actions, and contributed ideas for long term strategies and investments.
For the last four years, our nation has suffered from misguided and inadequate leadership at the U.S. Department of Education. This Administration’s failures have taken our nation’s PK-12 schools and system of higher education down a destructive path. While school districts struggle amidst a shortage of educators, with more than 600,000 jobs lost, so too do colleges of education with lowered program enrollment, program closures and faculty layoffs. The educator pipeline is at risk, and the future of our public education system is in jeopardy.
15 Dec2020
By AACTE
AACTE is pleased to announce the 2020 recipients of the new AACTE Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant. AACTE offered the grant in partnership with Edthena to help educator preparation programs enhance training for future teachers in methods courses, field observations, skill building, and group learning via advanced technology.
“Both AACTE and Edthena understand that video observation technology has the potential to positively impact candidates during and after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lynn M. Gangone, AACTE president and CEO. “AACTE is proud to collaborate with partners like Edthena to promote technology growth in schools and colleges of education.”
02 Nov2020
By AACTE
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone issued the following statement today urging educators to resist the Trump administration’s attack on critical race theory and other anti-racism work in education:
“In its June 4 statement, the AACTE Board of Directors called educators to take courageous action on race matters in America to address not only recent racial injustices across the nation but also structural racism that has deep, historic roots in our society. Critical race theory represents the scholarly work of educators who provide research evidence and expertise on how the legacy of slavery and inequality in America has unequivocally influenced our American way of life, including our system of education, and on effective ways to dismantle structural racism in American society. It has long been the focus of scholars across many disciplines, which has contributed to the great strides institutions have made in advancing human and civil rights for all Americans.
Banning federal funds to be used for professional development that addresses topics like white privilege, implicit bias, and structural racism, which are examined within critical race theory, is a denial of the historic realities of our country, and is an assault on the strategic gains institutions of higher education and educator preparation programs have made to enlighten students and affect change that promotes racial and social justice for all. Educators must resist any setbacks to the many years of research and activism scholars have made to progress our nation into a society that values the lives of all human beings.
AACTE and its member institutions are committed to revolutionizing education by upholding high standards in the preparation of future teachers through inclusive curriculum and evidence-based instructional strategies, modeling, and advocacy that dismantle racial oppression. AACTE members are actively working to diversify the teaching profession, address the teacher shortage, redesign curricula that reflects the needs of 21st century learners, advocate for policies that fund student teachers of color, and build social justice partnerships for strengthening the education community—all in a concerted effort to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in PK-20 education. Critical race theory is at the foundation of this vital work. AACTE calls on educators and the educator preparation community to stay the course and to actively support the work of critical race theorists and other anti-racism efforts for building a more racially just society.
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AACTE: The Leading Voice on Educator Preparation
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs and partners dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are profession-ready as they enter the classroom. The 700 member institutions include public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam. Through advocacy and capacity building, AACTE promotes innovation and effective practices that strengthen educator preparation. Learn more at aacte.org.
