10 Feb2020
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE is delighted to announce the Salisbury University School of Education as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Best Practice Award for Innovative Use of Technology for integrating maker education throughout its educator preparation program. Diallo Sessoms, associate professor, Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education, Salisbury University, will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
Salisbury University is pioneering the idea of “classrooms” as makerspaces, which will push future educators to inspire their students to be makers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. The official makerspace, a physical space for faculty and students to generate visceral experiences, opened in fall 2018. Both faculty and students are learning to infuse the maker mindset into their teaching philosophies by applying a combination of programming, design thinking, 3D modeling, and physical computing experiences. While the university’s educator preparation program has a stand-alone technology course, it is also emphasizing the integration of concepts across all instructional methods courses. To build capacity for in-service educators, the School of Education is also offering professional development in invention literacy for practicing teachers to increase play-based learning and makerspace access.
10 Feb2020
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE is delighted to announce Manhattanville College’s School of Education (SOE) in Purchase, N.Y. as the recipient of the 2020 AACTE Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity for its Changing Suburbs Institute® (CSI) program. Shelley Wepner, dean and professor, Manhattanville College of Education, will be recognized formally with the award at the AACTE 72nd Annual Meeting, February 28 – March 1, in Atlanta, GA.
CSI is a grassroots, school-university-community collaborative that was established in recognition of the increasing diversity in suburban school districts and to ensure that practicing and prospective teachers are prepared to teach an increasingly diverse student population. Now in its fourteenth year, CSI focuses on four major areas: teacher leadership/development, collaboration, dissemination of information, and parent education. To address teacher leadership/development, CSI has established Professional Development Schools (PDS) in 16 schools across eight districts in Westchester County. Each PDS has a Leadership Team comprised of a faculty liaison, teachers, and school administrators.
06 Feb2020
By JTE Insider
This blog is available to the public, and AACTE members have free access to the articles in the JTE online archives—just log in with your AACTE profile.
In this interview, the JTE editorial team shares insights from Adrie A. Koehler, who writes on behalf of her work with co-authors Peggy A. Ertmer and Timothy J. Newby from their article “Developing Preservice Teachers’ Instructional Design Skills Through Case-Based Instruction: Examining the Impact of Discussion,” published in the September/October 2019 issues of the Journal of Teacher Education.
What motivated you to pursue this particular research topic?
06 Feb2020
By Ward Cummings
While many people are focused on the fact that 2020 is a presidential election year, it is important to note that much is happening at the state level. There are 11 gubernatorial races, all but 6 states have legislative elections, and there are many other measures that might require your vote. Where do you gather objective, non-partisan information about what will be on your ballot? Consider Ballotpedia, a digital encyclopedia of American politics. It is run by a nonprofit that is dedicated to compiling thorough, non-partisan information regarding state by state election/ballot activity in the United States.
Ballotpedia gathers information to support you in engaging in your democracy including:
- Databases of all upcoming elections, searchable by street address
- Dates for all elections and candidates, including off-year and special elections
- Times for Poll Openings and Closings organized by state
- Bios and contact information for all elected officials by district, down to the judicial and school board level, searchable by zip-code
- Databases of all upcoming state ballot measures, searchable by zip-code
- Fact-Checking of political reporting regarding issues under deep debate in your state
06 Feb2020
By Amanda Morales
This year will mark the fourth year that ACCTE’s Diversified Teaching Workforce (DTW) Topical Action Group (TAG) will host a preconference Institute. This year’s Institute: Advancing Research and Policy in Praxis, will convene a group of national leaders from colleges and universities across the United States to spotlight and explore innovative efforts for addressing ethnoracial teacher diversity across the teacher development continuum. The preconference will take place February 27, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
05 Feb2020
By Jenay Scribner-Brown
We are a couple of weeks away from AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, and AACTE is just as excited as you are. Get ready to accomplish your educational leadership goals by attending the Preconference Luncheon sponsored by The Wallace Foundation, Food for Thought: How to Successfully Develop and Support School Leaders, February 27, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
AACTE welcomes all preconference participants to attend an interactive discussion while enjoying their meal. The luncheon is free to all registered preconference participants. Attendees will hear from educational leaders:
- Andy Cole will highlight important work being done in the school leadership space to enhance the school leadership pipeline.
- Hayward Jean will share his journey to school leadership and the role of mentorship along the way.
Luncheon attendees also are invited to participate in a networking discussion on how to start planting seeds early to grow effective school leaders.
04 Feb2020
AACTE DEI Video: Building the Special Education Pipeline
By Katrina Norfleet
Ed Prep Matters features the “Revolutionizing Education” column to spotlight the many ways AACTE, member institutions, and partners are pioneering leading-edge research, models, strategies and programs that focus on the three core values outlined in the current AACTE strategic plan: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Quality and impact; and Inquiry and Innovation.
In the next segment of the AACTE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion video series, AACTE members address the critical shortage of special education teachers and how to ensure teachers can effectively serve students with disabilities. The video aligns with AACTE’s strategic priority to advocate for high-quality educator preparation and the inclusion of all students in equitable access and opportunity in PK-20 classrooms. In this DEI video, Building the Special Education Pipeline, leaders in educator preparation consider approaches to increasing the pool of highly qualified special education teachers.
04 Feb2020
By Cynthia Howell
This article originally appeared in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and the excerpt below is reprinted with permission.
A recent three-year drop in the number of people enrolled in Arkansas teacher preparation programs appears to have bottomed out, and the number is on the upswing, preliminary data from the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education show.
The number of enrollees in the state’s teacher preparation programs for 2018-19 was 4,443.
04 Feb2020
By Deborah Koolbeck
Did you miss the AACTE member exclusive January 2020 Federal Update Webinar? Not to worry. It is posted online on the AACTE Advocacy Center federal page, ready for you to watch from the comfort of your home or other convenient location.
Please keep in mind that February’s update will be offered in person at the AACTE Annual Meeting in Atlanta (February 28-March 1). In fact, the update is offered twice to accommodate the busy schedules of attendees—Friday 10:30-11:30 a.m. and Saturday from 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Are you interested in augmenting your advocacy skills while at the Annual Meeting? Attend the AACTE Government Relations and Advocacy Committee’s Preconference: Your Levers of Civic Power: Moving the Gears of Democracy on Thursday, February 27 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Registration is required. Link to Preconfernces.
I am looking forward to seeing you in Atlanta!
31 Jan2020
By Jane E. West
This blog post is written by AACTE consultant Jane West and is intended to provide updated information. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
Federal Budget: The Deficit Explodes; Do Earmarks Return?
The federal government’s budget deficit is projected to reach $1.02 trillion in 2020—the first time since 2012 that the deficit breached the $1 trillion threshold—according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The combination of 2017 tax cuts and new spending have been the biggest contributors to the increased deficit. FY 2020 is likely to see spending in the $4.6 trillion range while the government brings in only $3.6 trillion in tax revenue. CBO Director Phillip Swagel said, “Changes in fiscal policy must be made to address the budget situation, because our debt is growing on an unsustainable path.”
House Appropriations Chair, Rep. Nina Lowey (D-NY) is talking with Democratic colleagues to gauge their interest and seek input. The plan under deliberation would be a revised version of past earmarking with rules in place to keep the system in check. One aide to a freshman Democrat who flipped a GOP-held seat in 2018 noted, “This is not what we came to Congress to do. Voters made it clear years ago that they were tired of pork and special interest spending in Washington and sweetheart deals.” However, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer backs the revival of an earmark-type system. However, the Senate does not seem receptive to the idea. “The Republican Caucus is on the record against that, so that’s not going to go anywhere,” said Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby (R-AL).
31 Jan2020
By Lara Luetkehans
The AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology is charged with developing the Association’s classroom reform and technology agendas related to PK-12 and postsecondary education. This year the committee’s focus has been on promoting use and facilitating communication and interaction in learning and technology. To do so, committee members have been planning the third iteration of the Information and Technology Preconference Workshop to be offered at the Annual Meeting in Atlanta on Feb. 27.
The Preconference Workshop will highlight Exemplars and Partners in Integrating Technology in Teacher Preparation. This half-day session will provide attendees with an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders from universities and professional organizations who are committed to preparing future educators to effectively integrate technology for student learning. Panels and sessions on academic program and faculty development, partnerships, diversity, and social justice will showcase the work and outcomes of exemplary researchers, practitioners, and organization leaders. Participants will engage in thinking about how to build capacity at their own institutions. Please join us on February 27, 1:00-5:00 p.m. for a packed agenda. To learn more and register, visit aacte.org.
30 Jan2020
By Reena Patel-Viswanath
Annually, the AACTE Holmes Masters, Scholars, and Post-Doctoral Scholars participate in a preconference event dedicated to the scholarship of teaching and learning. The preconference allows students to network, expand research perspectives, engage in tangible writing labs, and learn from a diverse group of passionate people. The theme of this year’s AACTE Annual Meeting and Holmes Preconference is Disrupting Inequities: Educating for Change.
The Holmes preconference begins Thursday, February 27, in Atlanta, GA. We are incredibly honored to have Margarita Bianco as our keynote speaker. Bianco is an associate professor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver and Founder/ Executive Director of Pathways2Teaching. Her research interests include strategies to recruit and retain teachers of color and Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher programs for high school students of color in urban and rural communities.
30 Jan2020
By Katrina Norfleet
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) have announced the four finalists for the 2020 National Teacher of the Year, all of whom are graduates of AACTE member institutions:
Chris Dier, 2020 Louisiana Teacher of the Year, obtained a master of arts in teaching and a master of arts in educational administration from the University of New Orleans. While a Hollyhock Fellow at Stanford University, a program that brings educators together to create more inclusive classrooms, he developed an equity project to legitimize student language. A 10-year teaching veteran, Dier currently teaches world history and AP human geography at Chalmette High where he engages students by bringing aspects of their identity and culture to the forefront of their education. Learn more.
Leila Kubesch, the 2020 Ohio Teacher of the Year, teaches Spanish and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at a high-need middle school. To help empower all youth, she fosters community partnerships, writes grants for innovative learning, and instills a mindset of dreaming big through large-scale service-learning projects. The work of her
30 Jan2020
A Look at Black Males and Education Using Critical Race Theory
By Kimberly White Smith and Quaylan Allen
Ed Prep Matters features the “Revolutionizing Education” column to spotlight the many ways AACTE, member institutions, and partners are pioneering leading-edge research, models, strategies and programs that focus on the three core values outlined in the current AACTE strategic plan: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Quality and impact; and Inquiry and Innovation.
Newly-elected AACTE Board member Kimberly A. White-Smith and her colleague Quaylan Allen published the following two studies in Urban Education and Equity & Excellence in Education in which they examine practices that influence the education of black males in the United States. The studies are summarized in the abstracts below with links to the full articles.
“That’s Why I Say Stay in School”: Black Mothers’ Parental Involvement, Cultural Wealth, and Exclusion in Their Son’s Schooling
This study examines parental involvement practices, the cultural wealth, and school experiences of poor and working-class mothers of Black boys. Drawing upon data from an ethnographic study, we examine qualitative interviews with four Black mothers. Using critical race theory and cultural wealth frameworks, we explore the mothers’ approaches to supporting their sons’ education. We also describe how the mothers and their sons experienced exclusion from the school, and how this exclusion limited the mothers’ involvement. We highlight their agency in making use of particular forms of cultural wealth in responding to the school’s failure of their sons.
“Just as Bad as Prisons”: The Challenge of Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline Through Teacher and Community Education
Drawing upon the authors’ experiences working in schools as teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and community members, this study utilizes a Critical Race Theory of education in examining the school-to-prison pipeline for black male students. In doing so, the authors highlight the particular role educators play in the school-to-prison pipeline, focusing particularly on how dispositions toward black males influence educator practices. Recommendations and future directions are provided on how education preparation programs can play a critical role in the transformation of black male schooling.
If you would like to share your story about how your institution or organization is revolutionizing approaches to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Quality and Impact; and Inquiry and Innovation, please contact Katrina Norfleet at knorfleet@aacte.org.
27 Jan2020
By Jane E. West
This blog post is written by AACTE consultant Jane West and is intended to provide updated information. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
As you know, all eyes are focused on the Senate impeachment trial this week. And with the House being in recess, there is no Congressional business underway directly related to education. This may be the case next week as well, since the trial will continue in the Senate. We will keep our eyes peeled. But meanwhile there is a lot going on over at the Department of Education.
Secretary DeVos Announces new Civil Rights Compliance Center
The Department of Education is launching a new unit in the Office for Civil Rights, which is intended to assist schools and universities in “proactively” complying with federal civil rights laws before complaints are filed. Dubbed the Outreach, Prevention, Education and Non-discrimination (OPEN) Center, the initiative will provide targeted support to schools, educators, families, and students in relation to federal non-discrimination laws.
