New Year, New Vision: Reimagine the Future at AACTE Leadership Academy

It’s not too late to be a part of the action during AACTE’s virtual Leadership Academy.  Start your new year off by planning for the future during the Academy’s third session on January 25, 2022.

During the session, entitled Reimagining the Future: A New Vision for Academic Leaders, a panel of innovators and thought leaders will energize your thinking about the future of higher education. Presenters will address multiple themes, including 1) diversity, equity, and inclusion; 2) rethinking leadership; 3) re-envisioning student access and success; and 4) reimagining the nature of the work. The session is designed to stimulate and provoke discussions through collective discoveries and interactive discussions, in an effort to shape a new vision for academic leaders.

National Office Welcomes New AACTE Staff

AACTE is happy to introduce the newest additions to its national staff: Janae Blanscet, confidential executive assistant to the president & CEO; Christine Chirichella, director of marketing & public relations; and Krislyn Mossman, senior director of operations.

Janae BlanscetJanae Blanscet has over 25 years of experience as an executive assistant. She has supported multiple executives in various for-profit and non-profit industries. She also has 12 years of insurance experience and still retains her licenses. She specializes in organization, time management, streamlining processes, as well as problem solving and implementing solutions. She holds a Bachelor’s in political science with a minor in Russian history from the University of Colorado-Denver.

A New Direction for Washington Update

I write to you with news of a change in Washington Update as we start the new year. After 7 years, I will be stepping away from writing Washington Update and the talented Kaitlyn Brennan will be taking over.  As you know, she has been writing with me over the last year. And now it’s time for her to take the helm, as I find time to finish my book, which of course is about policy making. 

I began Washington Update in March 2015. I realized that so much happened so fast in the D.C. policy world that I was having a hard time keeping track. And if that was challenging for me, whose day job involved emersion in the D.C. policy world, it must really be hard for you, whose day job keeps you in another sphere.

#AACTE22 Preconference Registration Now Open

Get a head start on your learning experience at this year’s conference.

AACTE's 74th Annual Meeting - Preconference registration is now openThe AACTE 2022 Annual Meeting preconference workshops, which will take place on March 3 in New Orleans, are now open for registration. Be sure to arrive at the conference early for Holmes programming and interactive workshops that delve into complex education challenges and prepare attendees with the tools needed to grow and enhance their programs and institutions.

Preconference workshops are participatory and provide opportunities to discuss issues important to educator preparation with peers who share similar academic and research interests. Preconference events include the following:

A-State Receives Grant in Educator Preparation Program Design Collaborative

Outlined Arkansas US state on grade school chalkboardArkansas State University is one of eight Arkansas universities participating in a program designed to help transform K-12 teacher recruitment, training and retention, according to Forward Arkansas, a non-profit organization leading an effort to recruit and retain qualified K-12 teachers.

A-State joins Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and University of Central Arkansas in the project.

AACTE/UPPI Podcast Highlights ‘A Sustainable Approach to Customizing Clinical Practice’

University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI) podcastIn the fifth episode of AACTE’s podcast covering the Wallace Foundation’s University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI), David Lorden and Alejandro Gonzalez Ojeda from San Diego State University share how to restructure principal preparation programs to meet the array of needs required by various districts.  During the episode, titled “A Sustainable Approach to Customizing Clinical Practice,” Lorden and Gonzalez Ojeda share insights from their own UPPI experiences as faculty in diversifying the clinical experiences of candidates through collaborative redesign with the districts. Through these insights, they answer the following questions:

  • How do you prepare a principal to lead anywhere?
  • How can prep programs adapt to meet the various needs of districts?
  • Why is customization critical for education leadership prep programs? Especially for equity?
  • How can a university sustain customizing their learning experiences for candidates with different backgrounds and strengths?

How to Use National Data Sets for a Greater Purpose

This article is a reflection from Holmes Scholar Kamilah Bywaters on the session “How to Use National Data Sets for a Greater Purpose” one of a five-part Holmes Fall Learning Series convened by AACTE.

Kamilah BywatersFor all my change-makers in the world, there is a wide range of data sets that are available for your use. It is my pleasure to share with you what I recently learned when I attended the AACTE Holmes Fall Learning Series session entitled, “Using National Data Sets for Education Policy Research.” The session was led by Jacqueline E. King, who provided valuable resources to guide the researcher in collecting useful data for their policy research initiatives. King shared the websites for the National Center for Education Statistics and Title II Reports. The resources provide vital information for every level of education.

Health and Safety at the 2022 Annual Meeting

AACTE cannot wait to welcome you to its 74th Annual Meeting, Rethink, Reshape, Reimagine, Revolutionize: Growing the Profession Post Pandemic, March 4-6, 2022 in New Orleans, LA. As we prepare to welcome you to the “The Big Easy,” the AACTE team is committed to providing an enriching and engaging experience that promotes health and safety and follows the local COVID-19 guidelines and recommendations.

Opinion: How UNI and Others are Confronting the National Educator Workforce Crisis

Reversing the Trend of a Declining Educator Workforce is Going to Take a Bold National Strategy

Mark NookThis article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register and is reprinted with permission.

Our nation’s economic prosperity, global competitiveness, and civic vitality rely on a strong educational system. As the leading producer of educators in the state of Iowa, at the University of Northern Iowa we know a highly qualified and diverse educator workforce is critical for preparing each generation to lead their workplaces and communities while serving as role models at home.

Pause on Federal Student Loan Repayments Extended

Young asian college student hold a sign of student loanThe Department of Education announced on December 22 that it would extend the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections through May 1, 2022. 

When COVID-19 began to wreak havoc with the lives of millions of people in March 2020, Congress passed legislation to temporarily suspend federal student loan payments.  In addition, borrowers were not charged interest on their loans and debt collection efforts were suspended.  The pause was extended several times and was due to be lifted on January 31, 2022.

AACTE Announces Leslie Fenwick as the 2022 Annual Meeting Closing Keynote Speaker

AACTE's 74th Annual Meeting - Closing Keynote Speaker: Leslie Fenwick. Ph.D.AACTE is excited to announce nationally renowned educator, education policy scholar, and best-selling author Leslie T. Fenwick , Ph.D., as the closing keynote speaker for its 74th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Described as a “fearless voice” for educational equity, Fenwick will take center stage on Sunday, March 6, to discuss her new book, Jim Crow’s Pink Slip: The Untold Story of Black Principal and Teacher Leadership (Harvard Education Press, 2022). The book has been referenced by the New York Times and listed as the #1 New Release in Education History by Amazon.  

Join Colleagues to Discuss the Pandemic’s Continuing Impact and Plans for 2022

As PK-12 schools, colleges, and universities around the country cope with a surge of coronavirus cases, and concerns rise regarding the Omicron variant, AACTE is offering a webinar to look back on the pandemic’s impact on educator preparation and discuss plans for 2022.

Since spring 2020, when schools and colleges around the country switched to online instruction due to COVID-19, AACTE has periodically surveyed members on the impact of the pandemic on educator preparation. A new report updates that series with information collected in fall 2021. It describes how conditions have changed since 2020, highlighting the lasting effects of the pandemic.

New Podcast Episode: Districts and Programs Collaborate in Commitment to Equity

Principal preparation programs serve two major consumers: the candidate’s that enter their programs and the districts that hire them. Therefore, it is essential to align program redesign efforts to district needs, which we have learned vary across the state. In episode four of AACTE’s new University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI) Podcast series chronicling the Wallace Foundation multi-year principal program redesign initiative, Franciso Edobedo, superintendent of the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD), located in southern San Diego County, shares what superintendents are looking for in principals and other school leaders entering the field. Also featured is Douglas Fisher, professor and chair of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University, who discusses why and how prep programs should work with districts like CVESD.  Their collaboration led to various redesign improvements over the course of Wallace’s UPPI Initiative, but this episode dives deeper into how they were able to share, evaluate ,and act on data through an equitable lens.

Listen now to Episode 4: Districts and Programs Collaborate in Commitment to Equity