20 May2024
By JP O'Hare
The New York State Education Department awarded $34 million in Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Expansion Grants to 64 school districts across the state. The grants will enable districts to establish new full-day prekindergarten placements or to convert existing placements from half- to full-day.
Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, “When children enroll in high-quality and effective PreK programs, they gain a significant advantage in early skills that prepare them for success in elementary school. Expanding access to full-day PreK programs through these grants will help more of New York’s children succeed.”
20 May2024
Article 5 of Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective
By Nicholas Hartlep and Rachel Endo
The “Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective” series is a multi-article study that aims to share the discoveries of a yearlong study that Nicholas D. Hartlep, Ph.D., and Rachel Endo, Ph.D., undertook during the 2023–2024 academic year. Their qualitative study explored the experiences of current and former Asian/American Education Preparation Program (EPP) leaders via surveys and interviews. Join AACTE for the “Building Intentional Pathways for Asian/Americans and Other BIPOC Faculty to Advance in EPP Leadership,” webinar, an opportunity to delve deeper into themes beyond those explored in the series. Register now for this insightful session on May 29 at 12 p.m. EST.
When the study was being designed, it was determined early on to include an advisory board that would help peer-review its design, execution, and text. The co-authors sought current and former Asian/American educator preparation program (EPP) leaders to be on the board as well as subject-matter experts on the Asian/American education experience. Ethnic, gender, and generational balance and institutional and geographic representation were also included in the study. In the end, the following scholar leaders were on the advisory board (see Supplemental Advisory Board Members).
20 May2024
By Sacred Heart University
Four Sacred Heart University students and one alum from SHU’s doctor of education in educational leadership program presented their dissertation research during the preconference portion of this year’s AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting in Denver, CO.
Tanya Collins ’25 gave a round table presentation about the impact of summer programs on the academic achievements and self-efficacy of students of color. “Receiving critical and constructive feedback from peers about my dissertation proposal was significant,” said Collins, assistant principal and director of human resources at the Interdistrict School for Arts & Communication in New London.
Collins and the other SHU participants are scholars associated with the AACTE’s Holmes Program, which supports racially or ethnically diverse students enrolled in doctoral programs in education. SHU’s Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development (FCEHD) is one of more than 50 AACTE member institutions that sponsor the Holmes Program, which offers networking, mentorships, and the opportunity to present research at the annual AACTE meeting.
20 May2024
Evaluating and Improving Teacher Preparation Programs
By Kenneth Zeichner
This article was written by Kenneth Zeichner, Ph.D., and Linda Darling-Hammond, Ed.D.
The National Academy of Education (NAEd) recently released a consensus study report, Evaluating and Improving Teacher Preparation Programs, which addresses the interconnectedness between the role of teacher preparation programs (TPPs) to both prepare teachers well and the larger policy supports necessary for the nation to meet the critical goal of recruiting, retaining, and equitably distributing a well-qualified workforce to ensure that all students are taught by well-prepared, culturally responsive teachers.
20 May2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration announced a new record in federal funding and investments in historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) totaling more than $16 billion from fiscal years (FY) 2021 through current available data for FY 2024. This new reported total is up from the previously announced over $7 billion, and captures significant additional actions already undertaken. The total of more than $16 billion includes over $11.4 billion between FY2021 and FY2023 through federal grants, contracting awards, and debt relief for HBCUs; over $4 billion between FY2021 and FY2023 for HBCU-enrolled students through federal financial aid and educational benefits for veterans; and, so far in FY 2024, over $900 million has been secured for Department of Education (Department) programs strengthening HBCUs as institutions.
17 May2024
By AACTE
In the New York University (NYU) Teacher Residency (TR) program, faculty and staff believe that the best ideas, work, and results derive from collaboration. The TR program undergoes collaboratively generated and consensus-driven changes and iterations each year, all in an effort to prepare diverse cohorts of residents to teach and meet their learners’ needs. On Tuesday, May 21, from 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ET, members are invited to learn more about this TR program by attending the AACTE Lunch & Learn, “Working Collaboratively Toward Antiracism, Equity, and Justice in EPPs.”
14 May2024
Article 4 of Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective
By Nicholas Hartlep and Rachel Endo
Most would agree, even if they have never been one, that being a dean is difficult work; the average tenure of an education dean is four (4) to six (6) years (Wepner & Henk, 2020). But we do not know if there are differentials based on the person’s race/ethnicity. One level of Whiteness in EPPs is the faculty and staff who work within them. EPPs are composed of mostly White teacher education faculty who teach their pre-service teacher education students using a White-framed curriculum. Another level of Whiteness is the epistemologies that White EPP leaders deploy (Scheurich & Young, 1997; Teo, 2022). The authors of this article have experienced this latter form of Whiteness when they interviewed for EPP leadership positions (see Hartlep, 2025).
14 May2024
Article 3 of Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective
By Nicholas Hartlep and Rachel Endo
The “Exploring Leadership Diversity in Educator Preparation Programs: An Asian/American Perspective” series is a multi-article study that aims to share the discoveries of a yearlong study that Nicholas D. Hartlep, Ph.D., and Rachel Endo, Ph.D., undertook during the 2023–2024 academic year. Their qualitative study explored the experiences of current and former Asian/American Education Preparation Program (EPP) leaders via surveys and interviews.
What is Critical Race Theory?
An extensive overview of Critical Race Theory (CRT) is located online. Tara J. Yosso, in her article “Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth” shares the image below that shows the different branches of CRT. Yosso writes, “CRT’s branches are not mutually exclusive or in contention with one another. Naming, theorizing, and mobilizing from the intersections of racism, need not initiate some sort of oppression sweepstakes—a competition to measure one form of oppression against another” (2005, pp. 72–73).
14 May2024
By AACTE
AACTE Washington Week, June 3 – 5, is just three weeks away, and members can expect a robust agenda diving into various topics within advocacy for educator preparation in the nation’s capital.
Jessica Cardichon, special assistant to the President for Education in the Domestic Policy Counsel will kick off the week’s events as the keynote speaker. Before this position, Cardichon served as education director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Majority under the chair, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont).
14 May2024
By AACTE
AACTE is seeking entries for the Gloria J. Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book Award and James D. Anderson Outstanding Dissertation Award, to highlight the accomplishments, research, and writing of AACTE members in the field of educator preparation.
14 May2024
By Aaron Hudnall
Mark your calendars for the upcoming New Deans Academy, held on June 17 in Cleveland, OH, the premier gathering of teacher education leaders new to their roles in their institutions — designed for deans, chairs, and faculty leaders position who have been in their roles for three years or less.
Attendees can network with other new leaders facing similar situations and challenges in their positions. The New Deans Academy will allow you to discuss with peers the successes in your role, challenges you faced, and help you find creative solutions to shared problems. In addition, you will also hear from presenters who will share insights into these topics.
14 May2024
By Iowa Department of Education
The Iowa Department of Education today awarded nearly $6 million in competitive grants to 67 Iowa schools to create, expand, and sustain high-quality before-and-after school programs that support families and advance student achievement in partnership with community organizations.
“By expanding access to before- and after-school programs grounded in evidence-based best practices, Learning Beyond the Bell grants will support improved student achievement, strong attendance, and positive behaviors,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “The Department is leveraging additional federal funds to increase support for Learning Beyond the Bell grants from $3.5 million to nearly $6 million, encouraged by the tremendous response of schools and community organizations to this opportunity. We commend all of the awardees for their leadership in realizing our shared vision to bridge and close learning gaps through engaging students in dynamic learning and supporting working families beyond the school day.”
14 May2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to increase access to school-based mental health services, including (1) nearly doubling investments in the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professionals (MHSP) grant programs in the current Fiscal Year; (2) making additional investments through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to improve the mental health and wellbeing of students and educators; and (3) offering new mental health and wellbeing trainings and resources for schools and educators.
“Today’s announcements affirm the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment to tackling our youth mental health crisis,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We know students are more likely to access mental health support if it’s offered in schools. By nearly doubling funds this year for school-based mental health professionals, releasing additional funds to help advance a variety of mental health strategies, and providing additional training and resources, we are raising the bar for student wellbeing across the country.”
07 May2024
By Tyler Pointer
The Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) turns 75 in 2025. Now celebrating its 75th year of publication, JTE’s co-editors Cheryl J. Craig, Ph.D., and Valerie Hill-Jackson, Ed.D., sit down in a video discussion and reflect on its history and future. The duo also unpacks three special issues for Volume 75 on perennial issues in teacher education, family-school-community engagement, and a curated tranche of articles that nod to revolutionary research and leadership in teacher education.
“There’s a feeling of accomplishment in getting this far,” Craig said. “We have to be resilient because our context is so contested.”
07 May2024
By AACTE
Are you ready to lend your expertise and assume a leadership role in the national educator preparation community, or do you know someone who is? Nominate yourself or a colleague to serve on one of the AACTE Programmatic Advisory Committees (PACs) by May 31.
