20 Mar2023
By Weade James

Are you ready to take the next step in your journey to completing your dissertation? Prospective and current doctoral students are invited to join peers and gain the knowledge and tools to successfully navigate the dissertation process.
Now is the time to reserve your spot at the AACTE Holmes Program Research and Dissertation Retreat on
April 3 – 4 at the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL.
View the full agenda and
register today.
Co-sponsored by the PNC Foundation and Florida Atlantic University, the Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat will equip Holmes scholars with knowledge and tools to enhance their research productivity and navigate the dissertation process. Topics will include research methods and approaches, how to select and integrate a theoretical framework, how to identify grants and funding opportunities to support their dissertation and scholarship, and strategies to successfully publish and present their research to an interdisciplinary audience. Registration ($25) is required for scholars.
14 Mar2023
By Weade James
Each year, participants of the Holmes Program elect peers to represent the needs of the Holmes community and to collaborate with AACTE to enhance programming and initiatives to benefit the Holmes student body. Established in 1991, the Holmes Program’s primary goal is to increase the diversity of tenure-track education faculty and leaders within higher education and the PK-12 school system. Holmes Scholars benefit from culturally relevant professional development and mentorship offered by AACTE and its member institutions. Holmes participants are immersed in an identify affirming community of over 200 peers and 800 alumni mentors. AACTE is excited to welcome the 2023-24 Holmes Council officers who will work alongside the association and its stakeholders to implement impactful programming for the Holmes community.
07 Mar2023
By Weade James

AACTE is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2022 Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat. The event will take place April 3 – 4, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on both days at the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL.
Co-sponsored by the PNC Foundation and Florida Atlantic University, the Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat will equip Holmes scholars with knowledge and tools to enhance their research productivity and navigate the dissertation process. Topics will include research methods and approaches, how to select and integrate a theoretical framework, how to identify grants and funding opportunities to support their dissertation and scholarship, and strategies to successfully publish and present their research to an interdisciplinary audience. Registration ($25) is required for scholars. Register today.
10 Feb2023
By Weade James
AACTE invites its members to attend a preconference on character formation during its 75th Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, IN. This event, sponsored by the Kern Family Foundation, will take place on Thursday, February 23 at 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and will feature growing research on character education and exemplary models of character integration across educator preparation programs. The event will open with a plenary session, moderated by Carole Basile, Dean of the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. The plenary panelists will include:
- Stanton Wortham, Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean, Carolyn and Peter Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College
- Meredith Critchfield Ph.D., Dean, College of Education, Grand Canyon University
- Deborah M. Boyd, Ed.D., College of Education, Dean Emerita & Professor, Lipscomb University
Read below to learn more about Carole’s take on character in teacher preparation and what participants can expect to learn from attending this event. Space is limited. View the full agenda and register today.
20 Dec2022
By Weade James
AACTE and Holmes Scholars Council are pleased to announce the call for nominations to serve on the 2023-2024 Holmes Council. Both current Holmes Program doctoral and master’s students are eligible and encouraged to run for office. The Council partners with AACTE and serves as a student voice to communicate the needs and experiences of scholars and enhance the Holmes programming.
Joining the Holmes National Council has been an amazing opportunity to serve my peers alongside talented and creative fellow council members. So far, I have enjoyed my time and experience as the President of the Council. This opportunity has allowed me to better understand and further develop my interests in cross-cultural competence, leadership, and service. As president, my duties include convening and leading the Council executive board meetings, assisting on various committees, and serving as a spokesperson for the AACTE Holmes Program. I am grateful for the supportive spirit of my fellow Council members and the cultural sensitivity that has characterized our collaborative working environment. I am so happy I gave this opportunity a shot! I encourage you all to consider this wonderful leadership and service opportunity.
-Oumarou Abdoulaye Balarabe, Holmes Council President 2021-2023 Holmes Scholar at Ohio University
16 Dec2022
By Weade James
The Holmes Program continues to expand with exceptional graduate students and future education leaders. We are proud to welcome new scholars from Boston University, University of Florida, University of North Florida, and George Mason University to the Holmes community.
28 Oct2022
By Weade James
We are excited to welcome four outstanding scholars to the Holmes Community. Please join us in welcoming Jordana Simmons (Rowan University), Zhan Shi (Texas Christian University), Denise Mugabe (Texas Christian University), and Monica Manzur (Texas Christian University).
11 Oct2022
By Weade James

AACTE will host its annual Holmes Program Research and Dissertation Retreat in Boca Raton, FL on November 9 – 10. The event, co-sponsored by the PNC Foundation and Florida Atlantic University, is AACTE’s annual flagship event to advance research and scholarship of graduate students of color who are pursuing doctorate degrees in education.
26 Sep2022
By Weade James
The National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) is seeking proposals from educator preparation programs and their school and community partners to take part in the Family Engagement Educator Preparation Innovation Project.
15 Sep2022
By Weade James

AACTE is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2022 Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat! The event will take place November 9 -10, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on both days at the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL.
15 Jul2022
By Weade James

To improve data collection, scholar support and alumni relations, AACTE has instituted these new Holmes Program forms for institutions and scholars:
- Holmes Institutional Application
- Holmes Scholar Enrollment
- Holmes Scholar Exit
11 Jul2022
By Weade James
The Holmes Program continues to grow! We are excited to welcome four new Holmes Scholars from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Austin Peay State University. Learn more about the new scholars:
Adjoa Mensah is a doctoral student in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis on teacher education. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Western Ontario, a M.Ed. from Daemen College, and a M.A. in French from the University of Kent. Her research interest focuses on the effective integration of technology for diverse learners in K-8 classrooms.
31 May2022
By Michael Rose and Weade James

We’re getting close to kick off for AACTE’s Washington Week, June 6 – 8! Join us in the nation’s capital for the first, in-person Washington Week since 2019.
We are excited to share our lineup of exemplary speakers, including DoE Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten. They will cover critical topics in education and teacher preparation, including censorship, teacher shortage, and educator diversity. View the full schedule here.
16 May2022
By Weade James

AACTE’s upcoming Washington Week conference will feature speakers from national civil rights and advocacy organizations who have sought to empower and increase educational access and opportunities for disenfranchised communities. One of these organization is the National Urban League. Founded in 1910, the National Urban League, also known as The League, is a historic civil rights organization whose mission is to help African-Americans and underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self- reliance, power, and civil rights. The League promotes economic empowerment through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life. Through their signature education programs, The League strives to ensure that every child is ready for college, career, and life.
Representing The League at the upcoming Washington Week conference is Horatio Blackman, vice president of education policy, advocacy, and engagement. Blackman’s work has focused on educational improvement, access, and opportunity for marginalized communities, specifically Black youth, utilizing data and evidence to support change efforts at the local, state, and national levels. Central in his practice is engaging communities in education improvement efforts. In his role at the National Urban League, Blackman leads the Equity & Excellence Project and related education policy and advocacy work.
Blackman joined the League after serving as an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development and a research associate with the Center for Research in Education and Social Policy at the University of Delaware. Blackman is an expert in connecting evidence to policy, practice, all with a focus on supporting the needs of historically underserved communities. He is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
Register today for AACTE’s Washington Week conference.
20 Apr2022
By Weade James
Performance assessments that serve as a gateway to teacher preparation programs (i.e., Praxis Core, similar state-developed assessments) are intended to measure students’ basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. While these skills have no correlation to a candidate’s ability to be successful in a preparation program or relationship to effective teaching, many states require educator preparation programs (EPPs) to ascribe to the use of entrance assessments as a perquisite for program admissions.
The AACTE Consortium for Research-Based and Equitable Assessments (CREA) is examining how cut scores are being set for these assessments and its impact on aspiring teachers and the teacher-of-color pipeline. In its recent infographic, The Impact of Program Entrance Assessments on Aspiring Teachers and the Teacher of Color Pipeline, AACTE highlights key themes and findings from focus groups held with in-service teachers, teacher candidates of color at various institutions, and faculty of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).