One Last Item for Your Pre-Holiday Checklist: The AACTE Board Election

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

Turkey? Check. Pies? Check. Vote in the AACTE Board Election? Check!

As you tick items off your list ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, please make sure you include voting in the AACTE Board Election, which closes on November 30. This year, there are 12 individuals running for two at-large seats and for seats representing AILACTE, HACU, NAFEO, and TECSCU.  In addition, members are asked to ratify a set of proposed technical changes to the Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws.

Make Your Voice Heard: Board of Directors Election Underway Through November 30

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

The 2021 election for the AACTE Board of Directors is underway through Tuesday, November 30. This is an important year, with 12 candidates vying for six open seats:

• Two at-large representatives
• One seat representing the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education (AILACTE)
• One seat representing the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
• One seat representing the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)
• One seat representing the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU)

All AACTE Institutional and Chief Representatives are eligible to vote for all positions. In addition, members are asked to vote on ratifying changes to the AACTE Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. 

AACTE Election 2021: Your Vote Matters

By Michael Dantley

I have had the pleasure of serving in several leadership positions within AACTE and, beginning in March 2022, will serve as chair of the AACTE Board of Directors.  These have been busy and challenging times for all of us, and AACTE’s volunteer leaders have been working hard with President & CEO Lynn M. Gangone and the entire National Office team to ensure that AACTE is well positioned to advance its vision of revolutionizing education for all learners.  A sample of the board’s recent activities include the following:

• Establishing a new strategic plan for the Association, including new strategic priorities on advocacy, DEI, and educator preparation policy, practice, and research
• Completing a successful sale of AACTE’s office building in Washington, DC and investing a portion of the proceeds in new technology platforms to better serve members
• Updating AACTE’s governance structure to reflect best practices in non-profit management
• Advising the National Office team on AACTE’s response to COVID-19

AACTE Board of Directors Election Now Open

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

Last Call for Nominations to AACTE Board and Advisory Committees

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

Have you been thinking about volunteering for a leadership position in AACTE, but put it off because of the pandemic? As life begins to return to a “new normal,” now is a great time to step forward. Educator preparation is an essential element of our nation’s recovery from the pandemic, and AACTE is at the center of national efforts to ensure that all students receive the expert instruction and support they need and deserve.

Deadline Extended for Nominations to AACTE Board and Advisory Committees

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

Have you considered volunteering for a leadership position in AACTE? Whether you volunteer to lend your talent and expertise to one of AACTE’s programmatic advisory committees or seek a position on the Board of Directors, now is a great time to step forward. Educator preparation is an essential element of our nation’s recovery from the pandemic, and AACTE is at the center of national efforts to ensure that all students receive the expert instruction and support they need and deserve.

The nomination deadline has been extended so more AACTE members can take advantage of this fantastic professional opportunity. Nominations are now due by May 28 to serve on the AACTE Board of Directors or on of the following programmatic advisory committees:

Service on the AACTE Board of Directors: An Investment in Yourself, Your Association, and Your Profession

By Robert Floden

These are challenging and exciting times for leaders in educator preparation. As our institutions strive to recover from the pandemic, there is the promise of dramatically expanded funding from Washington to address the teacher shortage. And as we continue to reel from acts of racial violence, educator preparation is playing a leadership role in helping teachers and school leaders understand and address systemic racism.

With all that we have to do in our “day jobs,” service on the AACTE Board of Directors may seem like an obligation that isn’t worth the effort. I have found it to be just the opposite. Serving on the AACTE Board of Directors has been a valuable way to make a difference, and has given me insights and connections that significantly added to my ability to serve my institution. I have grown as a leader, broadened my professional network, and gained a deeper understanding of our field and the wider political and social environment. It also has been deeply gratifying to contribute to AACTE’s work in advancing educator preparation.

What Is It Like to Serve on an AACTE Programmatic Advisory Committee?

By Shandra M. Claiborne-Payton

It is the time of year when AACTE puts out a call for nominations to its programmatic advisory committees. These committees serve the association by providing expert member advice on a wide range of topics related to AACTE’s programs and services. Whatever your professional interests, there is likely a committee that would benefit from your participation.

Have you thought about nominating yourself, but wondered whether serving on one of these committees would be right for you? I can assure you that serving on a programmatic advisory committee is enjoyable, rewarding, and a great professional networking and learning experience. By serving on a committee, you will:

• Ensure that AACTE’s programs and services meet your needs and the needs of your colleagues and institution
• Broaden your professional network to include colleagues from a wide range of institutions around the country
• Deepen your understanding of educator preparation
• Have fun interacting with smart and committed AACTE members and staff

Join AACTE’s Leadership

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

These are extraordinary times, and educator preparation is essential to our national recovery.  Now more than ever, your association needs committed, talented, and thoughtful leaders!

Are you ready to assume a leadership role in the national educator preparation community, or do you know someone who is? Nominate yourself or a colleague by May 14 to serve on the AACTE Board of Directors or a programmatic advisory committee.

AACTE is currently seeking applications from volunteers to stand for election as an at-large representative to the Board of Directors and to serve on the following programmatic advisory committees:

Announcing ACSR Virtual Business Meeting

By Ward Cummings

In keeping with the 2021 Annual Meeting theme of Resisting Hate, Restoring Hope: Engaging in Courageous Action, this year’s ACSR Business meeting will focus on the subject of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the teaching profession.  The meeting will take place on March 19, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET.

During last year’s State Leadership Institute (SLI), Michael Dantley, AACTE board member and former dean of the College of Education at Miami University, led a spirited discussion and workshop based on the anti-racism work of Robin DiAngelo, 2020 AACTE Conference keynote speaker. Her book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism has played a prominent role in the national conversation regarding the history and influence of race and racism in America since its publication in 2018. Dantley’s SLI session entitled, “White Fragility” Combating Racism Together,” was an energetic and engaging exploration of the concepts in the book, from the perspective of educators. The session was followed by a panel led by Penny McPherson-Myers of Rowan University, entitled “Structures and Strategies for Addressing Racial Matters on College Campuses.” This year’s ACSR Business Meeting will continue this important discussion with a focus on the DEI work of our members.

New Volunteer Leaders Take the Helm of AACTE

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

At the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Meeting, AACTE Board of Directors Chair Ann E. Larson (University of Louisville) passed a “virtual gavel” to incoming Chair Robert E. Floden (Michigan State University) and became the Immediate past chair of the Association. Larson and Floden will be joined on the AACTE Executive Committee by the following:

• Chair-elect Michael Dantley
  (Miami University of Ohio)
• Secretary Monika Williams-Shealey
  (Rowan University)
• At-large Member Patricia Alvarez-McHatton (Arizona State University)
• At-Large Member Kimberly White-Smith (University of La Verne)

AACTE Welcomes New Board Chair Robert E. Floden

By Jerrica Thurman

AACTE announced today Robert E. Floden, Ph.D. of Michigan State University as the new chair of its Board of Directors. In a short interview with AACTE, Floden shared his vision for the Association during his one-year term. Here’s what he had to say:

What do you look forward to achieving during your time as AACTE Board Chair?

“I look forward to completing the AACTE strategic planning process we have been working on during the last many months. We have made a lot of progress on our general goals. I think the next step that we can complete during my time as the board chair is to move forward on deciding the strategies by which we are going to achieve the goals for the organization.”

What do you think are the key priorities for the AACTE community?

“One of our key priorities now is clearly recovering from the pandemic. Face-to-face instruction is an important part of education. We can draw upon what we have learned about the ways in which we make good use of remote instruction and other important lessons. I think teacher education programs in general made the pivot well, although it was challenging in the first months. But we learned how to continue to provide solid preparation for educators, and I think we can harvest what we have learned and use that as we move forward in the fall of 2021.”

In what ways do you think AACTE is poised to lead the educator preparation profession forward during these challenging times?

AACTE is the national organization of education institutions that prepare future educators, teachers, education leaders, administrators, and more. The people who work in our member institutions have tremendous capacity for advancing educator preparation policy, practice, and research that helps us both learn how to do things better and to document the effects of the things that we are doing. The capacity of our members, those involved with AACTE programs, is an important way in which we are poised to lead.

Watch the full interview with AACTE Board Chair Robert Floden in this video

Robert Floden at Michigan State University Becomes AACTE Board Chair

By Jerrica Thurman

AACTE announced today Robert E. Floden, Ph.D., of Michigan State University (MI) as the new chair of its Board of Directors. During his one-year term, Floden will support AACTE and its President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone in implementing the Association’s strategic goals, incorporating lessons learned from the pandemic to advance educator preparation and policies, and growing AACTE’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

“Our key priority now is clearly recovering from the pandemic. Face-to-face instruction is an important part of education. We can draw upon what we have learned about the ways in which we make good use of remote instruction and other important lessons,” said Floden. “I think teacher education programs in general made the pivot well, although it was challenging in the first months. But we learned how to continue to provide solid preparation for educators, and I think we can harvest what we have learned and use that as we move forward in the fall of 2021.”

2020 ACSR Election Results Are In

By Ward Cummings

Congratulations to the newly elected ACSR officers Anne Tapp of Michigan, Christine Gorowara of Delaware, and Keith Lambert of Washington. 

Anne Tapp, ACSR chair-elect, is a professor and program director at Saginaw Valley State University.  She is a former president of Michigan state chapter of AACTE and currently serves as ACSR Midwest Region representative. Christine Gorowara, ACSR Northeast Region representative, is the senior associate director of the Delaware Center for Teacher Education at the University of Delaware and currently serves as president of the Delaware state chapter of AACTE. Keith Lambert, ACSR West Region representative is an associate professor at Whitworth University and the current president of the Washington state chapter of AACTE. Each new office holder will begin serving their term in February, at the close of the AACTE 2021 Annual Meeting.

AACTE Advocates for Educator Preparation with Biden Administration

By Lynn M. Gangone

This past week, AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone sent a congratulatory letter to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris on behalf of AACTE members, congratulating the 46^th presidential administration and encouraging collaboration between the Association and our elected leaders. Gangone states, “AACTE supports your education priorities, which will ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, or immigration status.” The letter further describes AACTE’s interest in the selection of a Secretary of Education who has a proven track record in promoting social justice. “Choosing a leader who is deeply committed to advancing our nation’s public schools and our institutions of higher education, as well as investing in the teaching profession so that every student has a fully prepared teacher, is essential.” 

AACTE will be providing the Biden-Harris Education Transition Team with our legislative and policy priorities in the coming weeks. As we move toward 2021, these priorities will be shared with our elected leader in Congress and policymakers across the nation within each state.

Dear President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris:

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) congratulates you on your election and looks forward to working with you and your administration as you lead our nation to “build back better.” AACTE members are schools and colleges of education that prepare the education workforce of the future. Members are in every state in the nation and include public and private colleges and universities, HBCUs and Hispanic-serving institutions, as well as community colleges. AACTE members ensure that all PK-12 students receive high quality instruction, especially critical during the current pandemic. Our educator candidates are salient assets to public schools with long-standing partnerships between our members and their local school districts.

Educator preparation sits at a crossroad of crises generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the public education workforce has already lost more than 600,000 jobs, university-based educator preparation programs are also experiencing significant reductions in enrollment and program closures. Rising demand for new teachers and shrinking production capacity in colleges and universities threatens the high-quality education our populace needs for a rich quality of life and to ensure our global competitiveness for generations. We look forward to working with you to address this national challenge and support the institutions preparing our educator workforce.