17 Jun2024
By Nicole Dunn
On June 19, 1865, the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States was realized when Union troops arrived in Galveston, TX, to enforce the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation for these citizens.
The newly freed people called this day “Juneteenth.” Also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is the commemoration of Black and African American people in the United States seizing their freedom that was denied to them despite their contributions to the growth of the nation’s economy and culture. While organizations around the country, including AACTE, will close their offices to give time to celebrate, reflect, and appreciate this history, more than half of the states in the country have introduced or passed legislation to prohibit teaching about structural racism, and you cannot fully teach and appreciate Juneteenth without acknowledging structural racism.
17 Jun2024
By U.S. Department of Education
On June 13-14, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) held the second of three Regional Convenings to Support State Action to Advance the Education Professions in Chicago with a focus on Midwest to Northeastern states. AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D., CAE, was in attendance and presented at the Chicago meeting on June 13.
The three convenings are bringing together key leaders from across over 25 states, D.C., and American Samoa in cross-sector state leadership teams to learn from each other about effective efforts by states to increase educator compensation, expand access to high-quality and affordable pathways into the education professions, and increase educator diversity. The opening remarks featured the Department’s Assistant Secretary for the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Roberto J. Rodriguez, and Illinois State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders, Ed.D. The opening remarks and session featured leadership from The Hunt Institute and TEACH.org.
17 Jun2024
By AACTE
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.
11 Jun2024
By Tyler Pointer
Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D., CAE, who just celebrated her seventh year of serving in the president and CEO position at AACTE, was recognized by AACTE leaders and staff at the 2024 Washington Week before her official retirement later this year.
Gangone began her tenure of service at AACTE in 2017, as her fourth leadership role within a higher education association. During her time in the association, Gangone has advocated for diversity, equity, and inclusion, as one of the core values of the Association, which feeds directly into its mission to revolutionize education for all learners in the PK-12 spaces.
“Under her stewardship, the organization underwent significant transformation,” said Anne Tapp Jaksa, Ph.D., chair elect of AACTE’s board of directors and professor at the College of Education at Saginaw State University. “She championed inclusivity and ensured diversity and equity were not just woven into the fabric of our programs but were also a cornerstone of our strategic objectives.”
11 Jun2024
By Aaron Hudnall
Did you know that AACTE members have access to previously recorded webinars? AACTE offers quality professional development opportunities throughout the year and it is possible to miss one or two events. Or you may have missed a few points or topics while attending a webinar and want to watch the session again. As an AACTE member, you can watch any previously released virtual event by visiting AACTE’s Webinars On-Demand library.
AACTE’s professional development opportunities — like webinars, Lunch & Learns, and Lunch with Lynn — offer topics that include artificial intelligence (AI)/generative AI for classrooms; internationalization; disrupting injustice; diversity, equity, and inclusion; discussions featuring AACTE Award winners; and more.
AACTE invites you to continue making the most of your membership by accessing the webinar library today and find topics that best suit your interests.
11 Jun2024
By Montana Office of Public Instruction
Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen is accepting residency and district applications for the third year of the Montana Teacher Residency Program. The Residency program is a one-year paid student teaching experience during the final year of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or master’s studies for education majors. Residents will be paired with a teacher-leader, and receive a stipend, district-provided housing, and partial tuition support.
Resident teachers will also commit to teaching in a Montana school district for a minimum of three years. Those interested in becoming a resident can apply here. Districts interested in hosting a resident can apply here.
“The Residency Program is a great opportunity for Montana-made teachers to gain valuable classroom experience,” Arntzen said. “The academic success of our children depends on access to high-quality teachers who are well prepared from day one. This reflects my Montana Hope and Montana Teach initiatives by emphasizing community engagement and strong teacher leaders to put our students first.”
11 Jun2024
By Kari Dickinson
This article was originally published on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s website.
To help identify and nurture future school leaders, the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education is partnering with three Wisconsin school districts to launch the District Leadership Preparation Pipeline (DLPP) program. This innovative program aims to transform 25 current school district employees into highly effective school leaders by August 2025.
The DLPP program is a collaborative effort, bringing together an urban, suburban, and rural school district in south-central Wisconsin. Supported by funding from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s (DWD) Fast Forward Industry Sectors Worker Training grant program, the initiative leverages the School of Education’s highly regarded 14-month principal preparation curriculum.
“Good principals and school leaders truly benefit teachers, staff, and the education students receive,” DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said. “We are eager to partner with the UW–Madison School of Education to help prepare leaders who will support our schools, our educators, and our future workforce.”
11 Jun2024
By Jennifer Recktenwald and Chris Wooton
This article was originally published on the University of Louisville’s news website.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has tapped the University of Louisville’s (UofL) College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) to create the Kentucky Reading Research Center, a new entity that will support educators in implementing reliable, replicable reading programs and promote literacy development.
The project includes a two-year, $6 million contract — one of the largest competitive grant awards in the CEHD’s history — and is renewable for up to five years.
Executive Vice President and University Provost Gerry Bradley and CEHD Interim Dean Amy Lingo, who will serve as executive director of the Kentucky Reading Research Center when it launches July 1, joined state officials and legislators at Bourbon Central Elementary School in Paris, KY, to announce the project on June 3.
10 Jun2024
By Sean Hembrick
Sean Hembrick, Holmes Scholar — The Pennsylvania State University
As a first-time attendee for AACTE Washington Week, I wanted to learn more about educational policy and advocacy. Being a fourth-year higher education doctoral student, I understand the importance of pushing forth efforts that speak to our ever-increasing educational field. I know that at the height of educational change are the millions of educators who continue to push forth visibility and accessibility for all students and educators.
This week, I had the opportunity to not only be in the community with fellow Holmes Scholars but also to be an active contributor in pushing forth educational reform. Connecting with educational advocates and policymakers led me to think about what more needs to be done and ensure that future generations of students are being seen, heard, and validated.
03 Jun2024
By Jim Sliwa
While threats and violence against PK-12 teachers and other school personnel in the United States declined during the pandemic after the restrictions were lifted, incidents rebounded to levels equal to or exceeding those prior to the pandemic, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
As a result, the percentage of teachers expressing intentions to resign or transfer rose from 49% during the pandemic to 57% afterward, the researchers found.
“Aggression and violence against educators and school personnel are major concerns that affect the well-being of school personnel and the students and families they serve. This study highlights a growing crisis in our schools that needs to be addressed nationally,” said lead author Susan Dvorak McMahon, Ph.D., of DePaul University, chair of the APA Task Force on Violence Against Educators and School Personnel. The task force conducted two surveys in collaboration with national education and related organizations. The results were published in the journal American Psychologist.
03 Jun2024
By Nicki Gorny
Education can be a challenging vocation.
School districts often struggle to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, who cite job satisfaction and burnout as key reasons they leave the classroom.
Natasha Johnson, Ph.D., can relate to the challenges facing today’s teachers, with roughly two decades of classroom experience in metro Atlanta preceding her transition to The University of Toledo’s Judith Herb College of Education in 2020.
It is why she’s passionate about a $2.3 million initiative she’s heading to support sixth through 12th-grade science teachers in high-need districts in Ohio and Kentucky, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Scholarship Program.
03 Jun2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The following message was posted today on the Education Department’s Homeroom blog.
In a letter sent to all staff today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona outlined comprehensive steps the Department is taking to improve Federal Student Aid (FSA) for students, families, borrowers, and schools. These efforts will ensure FSA works better and addresses ongoing management and operational challenges. Specifically, the Department is taking the following steps:
03 Jun2024
By Michael Yaple
The New Jersey Department of Education today announced awards for two grant opportunities to help schools implement, improve, and expand climate-change instruction in the classroom.
The grants will approach climate-change instruction through two avenues:
- An interdisciplinary learning and community projects grant will provide funds directly to school districts to help them partner with local organizations or their municipality to establish Interdisciplinary Learning Units and Community Resilience Projects. These projects will help schools impact their community through projects such as planting rain gardens with plants that will ease flooding; growing food using aquaponics to combat food insecurity; restoring native plant species; and planting dune grass to restore and protect native habitats.
- The Climate Change Learning Collaboratives grant will fund programs in which colleges and universities will create Climate Change Learning Collaboratives to provide training to teachers on how to infuse climate change into the curriculum.
03 Jun2024
By AACTE
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.
03 Jun2024
By Altovise Davis
The deadline for AACTE’s Call for Reviewers for the 2025 Annual Meeting has been extended to June 14, 2024. The Association is seeking member-institution representatives to volunteer to represent AACTE’s principles in evaluating content for papers and presentations at the 2025 Annual Meeting.
We highly encourage candidates interested in reviewing Strand IV: Deepening the Impact of Education Research and Research to Practice and Strand V: Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to apply, as these strands receive the largest number of submissions.
