09 Aug2021
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.
Here is what to keep on your radar for Congress’s return to work in mid-September:
Passage of a Continuing Resolution (CR)
Passage of a CR would prevent a government shutdown on September 30 when the current fiscal year expires. While there has been movement in the House and the Senate on FY 2022 appropriations bills, it is impossible that they could all be completed by the September 30 deadline. Thus, a temporary extension of current funding levels will be on the agenda. The dicey political aspect of this is that Senate Democrats may attach the “must pass” debt ceiling limit extension to this bill, putting Republicans in a difficult spot. In recent times Republicans have balked at increasing the cap on the debt limit demanding spending cuts in exchange for their votes. The high wire act here is that a government shutdown is at stake if the bill is not passed by September 30. Who will blink first?
Action on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
If the Senate has passed the bill before they adjourn, all eyes will be on the House. Politically, the bill is in a vise with Democrats seeking to ensure that their own members will hang tight for the next move after this bill passes—which will be the Democrats-only reconciliation bill. Democratic leadership, particularly in the House, has pledged not to move this bill unless the reconciliation bill (see below), is moved simultaneously. At the heart of this is Senate Democrats holding all 50 members—from the liberal and the conservative wings of the party–together to support the reconciliation bill. Without all 50 members, the bill would fail, as no Republicans are likely to support it. Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) believes that tying the two bills together (bipartisan infrastructure and partisan reconciliation), she will ensure the 50 Democratic votes needed in the Senate, as well as her own Democratic caucus, which also holds a slim majority. Her fear is that some Democrats in the Senate may bail after the bipartisan bill is passed. So, the fate of these two is intertwined in the politics of a closely divided Congress.
09 Aug2021
By Michael Rose
AACTE’s virtual Day on the Hill is scheduled for September 21-23. As we prepare for AACTE’s premiere advocacy event, some may wonder, “What legislation should we prioritize?” The simplest answer is whatever you are most passionate about.
The nation is facing a teacher shortage. We are all familiar with the statistics: there were an estimated 100,000 classrooms in 2018 staffed by instructors who did not complete some type of educator preparation program; despite increased need for PK-12 teachers—and growing enrollment in higher education—the number of students completing bachelor’s degrees in education has been declining over the last two decades; in a recent survey, 27% of teachers said they were considering leaving their jobs, retiring early, or taking a leave of absence due to COVID-19.
However, there are legislative proposals that seek to address these issues and more.
05 Aug2021
By Linda Minor
The AACTE 2022 Outstanding Dissertation Award deadline is quickly approaching. Submit your application by August 20 through the online submission system. This award recognizes excellence in research (or its equivalent) that contributes to the knowledge base of educator preparation or of teaching and learning with implications for educator preparation. The Outstanding Dissertation Award includes a $1,000 cash prize, as well as special recognition at AACTE’s 74th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, March 4-6, 2022.
Who’s eligible?
Individuals receiving a doctorate since January 1, 2020 are eligible to apply for this award. The primary selection criterion is quality of scholarship.
What should you include in your entry?
The narrative summary file should answer the following questions about the dissertation:
05 Aug2021
By Gaelle Gilbert
Series one, episode five of the AACTE Podcast, Revolutionizing Education, is now available.
The latest episode features one of the largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the nation, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), embarking on a transformation of its teacher preparation program centered on the college mission, vision, and three priorities: quality, culture of inquiry, and positionality. In this episode, Sandra Musanti and Alma Rodriguez from UTRGV share what they have identified to be the three areas of emphasis to guide the transformation work: a practice-based teacher education model, culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies, and technology for the 21st century.
Listen now to Episode 5: Transformiing Teacher Preparation
05 Aug2021
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE is committed to making your voice heard at the state and federal levels. Augment your advocacy skills while advancing educator preparation at AACTE’s premiere advocacy event, Day on the Hill, September 21-23.
AACTE’s virtual Day on the Hill is the prime opportunity to meet with your elected officials, advocate for the current Administration’s historic investment in education, and highlight the importance of teacher preparation programs. Engage with colleagues from across the nation while learning how to advocate for the profession and share your successes on Capitol Hill.
This year’s event offers breakout sessions to prepare you for engaging with Members of Congress and their staff. When you register, select a track that best meets your skill level:
- Track A for those new to Day on the Hill or who want to polish up their advocacy skills
- Track B for those with extensive experience in advocacy
03 Aug2021
By Michael Rose
The past year and a half have been a challenge. Everyone’s lives have been disrupted and we have had to adapt, adjust, and endure like never before, especially within the educator preparation community. However, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel.
There is good news. For example, President Biden proposed the biggest increase in funding for the Department of Education and teacher preparation programs in history. Specifically, he called for increasing the Department’s budget by more than $29 billion, or 41%, including an increase of $9 billion for teacher preparation programs.
03 Aug2021
By Weade James
This year’s Washington Week virtual conference is quickly approaching, and we have exciting events planned for AACTE members – including participants of the Holmes Program. Holmes Scholars are encouraged to participate in the Holmes Policy Institute (September 8 – 9) and Holmes Advanced Policy Short Course (September 14-15) during Washington Week. These events will focus on policy solutions to address systemic barriers that impede on the academic achievement of diverse students.
Some confirmed speakers include Jessica Cardichon, assistant deputy secretary, office of planning, evaluation, and policy development at the U.S. Department of Education; Erica McCray, co-Ddrector of the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center; Michael Brady, professor and chair at Florida Atlantic University; Amanda Lewis, director for research on race and public policy at the University of Illinois – Chicago; Amy Wells, professor at Columbia Teacher’s College, and Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.
03 Aug2021
By Gaelle Gilbert
AACTE is the winner of an 2021 Apex Award for Publication Excellence for its online COVID-19 Resource Hub.
AACTE earned the Award of Excellence in the COVID-19 Media –Education and Training category. This award, sponsored by Communications Concepts Inc., is an annual competition for publishers, editors, writers, and designers who create print, web, electronic and social media. Nearly 1,200 entries were submitted to this year’s competition.
AACTE developed the COVID-19 Resource hub to in response to the global crisis to address the immediate needs of its member institutions. The pandemic caused many unprecedented challenges in education preparation—whether it be the move from in person to virtual learning or putting safety measures in place, colleges of education had to quickly adapt their teaching methods to prepare their students to step into virtual classrooms while fighting teacher shortage and burnout.
03 Aug2021
By Denise Michele Lewis
Keith Brooks of Chosen Path Consulting, LLC, opened the second Holmes Summer session on the afternoon of July 21 by asking participants to reflect on a video. I quickly recognized the animation from the Schoolhouse Rock! America Rock series. “Elbow Room” focuses on our nation’s expansion west and south from the 13 original colonies. Initially, this video brought to mind fond memories of watching Saturday morning cartoons with my sister and brothers as children. Those memories faded as I watched the images with a critical lens and listened intently to the lyrics with critical ears. Participants began to type their reflections into the chat space, and it was clear that our histories and perspectives were not reflected in this mini-lesson. Only one perspective was portrayed—that of whiteness, of white males in particular. There was little diversity, no regard for the brutal violation and experiences of BIPOC, and no mention of the contributions of Asian or Mexican Americans toward the expansion. There was a lot to unpack in the 3-minute vignette.
02 Aug2021
By John Henning
The coming academic year looks to be wholly different than the one just past. Campuses are busy reopening; professors are readying for in person instruction, and students are anticipating sharing space with their peers once again. But despite these upbeat developments, this year is very much like the last one in an important respect—uncertainty.
It is hard to foresee what the coming year will bring for several reasons. First, our experience during the past year has changed expectations. For instance, students have different expectations as to how classes are conducted, how accessible they should be, and what constitutes doing school. Faculty and staff have differing expectations regarding their presence on campus, what is needed to make the campus safe, and what is the right balance between personal freedom and social responsibility.
02 Aug2021
By Jane E. West and Kaitlyn Brennan
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.
This week, Members of the House of Representatives completed debate on a seven-bill appropriations package, which includes the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. As you will recall, the bill includes a 41% increase for the Department of Education, bringing the total to $102.8 billion.
Nearly 200 amendments were filed to the FY2022 Labor-HHS Education bill with 15 education amendments taken up for debate. Three of the amendments added relatively small amounts of funding to programs, but these increases were offset by equal or larger cuts to Departmental Management. The result of the combined amendments cuts the total Department of Education funding by less $89,000. The funding changes include
31 Jul2021
By Meghan Grenda
AACTE’s Member Spotlight features an individual from a member institution, highlighting how their work makes a difference in classrooms across the country. Nominate yourself or another member by providing a response to the following questions and sending to mgrenda@aacte.org.
Get to know Anne Tapp …
Position/Institution: Professor, Saginaw Valley State University
(also serving as a director for the University of Michigan Center for Digital Curriculum)
Number of years in your position: 19 years
Alma Mater(s): Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction, Wayne State University
Hometown: Frankenmuth, MI
30 Jul2021
By Ward Cummings
The 2021 State Leaders Institute will be held virtually this year on September 30 and October 1 from 1:00 – 5:00p.m. ET. As with previous years, the schedule of events is designed to give AACTE members ample opportunity to catch up with peers, engage in professional development activities and strategize about the future of educator preparation.
The two-day series of activities will begin with a panel discussion led by the leaders of the Kentucky, California, and Nebraska AACTE State affiliates, who will be describing the projects for which they were awarded 2020 State Affiliate Awards and responding to questions from attendees. Mike Rose, AACTE senior director for federal relations and policy, will follow with a report on the creative and instructive ways states are using American Rescue Plan funding. Day one activities will also include a panel discussion featuring AACTE members describing the advocacy work they have been engaged in this year as part of state education coalitions and will end with a breakout session for members to discuss action plans and related regional issues.
30 Jul2021
By Michael Rose
This week, the House of Representatives passed an omnibus appropriations bill, which included the funding for the Department of Education. The omnibus bill included seven spending bills; generally, the House and Senate prefer to pass the 12 appropriations bills, which largely fund the federal government, individually. However, a congested legislative calendar caused this course of action.
The omnibus bill proposes a 41% increase for the Department of Education, an unprecedented boast in spending. It also recommends significantly increasing the funding for many of the programs AACTE supports.
The Senate has not started its work on its appropriations bills and it is unclear if senators will support the funding increases provided for by the House. The annual spending bills must be signed into law by September 30, the end of the fiscal year. However, because the process is far behind schedule, Congress will likely pass a continuing resolution before then, which will fund the government at current levels (another option is to pass neither the appropriations bill nor a continuing resolution and allow the government to shut down, but that is unappealing to most members of congress).
29 Jul2021
By Meghan Grenda
Members of an AACTE Topical Action Group (TAG) can collaborate with fellow members through AACTE’s online community,
Connect360. This new platform enables you to easily post content, ask questions, exchange ideas, and share resources and best practices.
