As the education landscape continues to evolve, the importance of robust leadership in state affiliates and leaders cannot be overstated. The Fall 2024 Virtual State Leaders Institute (SLI) on November 15, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET, is an essential opportunity for both current and emerging leaders within AACTE state affiliates. The following are four reasons to attend:
On Wednesday, September 25, the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on “Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators.” Witnesses included AACTE members Carole Basile, Ed.D., dean of the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University, and Melba Spooner, Ed.D., dean of the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University. They were joined by Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development, and Greg Mendez, Ed.D., principal of Skyline High School in Mesa, AZ.
CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development Sharif El-Mekki, and AACTE Members Melba Spooner, Ed.D., and Carol Basile, Ed.D. during Wednesday’s hearing.
In addition to describing the teacher shortage, which Chairman Aaron Bean (R-FL) likened to a car dashboard warning light for the education system, the hearing focused on solutions. Witnesses and members described initiatives including Grow Your Own programs for high school students, residencies and apprenticeships, and student loan forgiveness. Members raised concerns about teacher compensation and diversity, staffing for special education, trauma-informed instruction, and the affordability and convenience of educator preparation programs. Several members, including Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), described legislation they support to address concerns they raised.
A major focus of the hearing was strategic staffing as a systemic approach to redesigning teaching, the school environment, and educator preparation. Basile and Mendez described how a team-based approach to teaching works and the benefits that it conveys to teachers, students, and schools.
AACTE is one of nearly 70 organizations that supports a bill seeking to make advancements in teaching and learning.
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act to create a national center that advances high-risk, high-reward education research projects, similar to the model employed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
“As a former school superintendent, I know our teachers are doing everything they can to overcome today’s educational challenges – especially as COVID, social media, and nationwide mental health crisis have made their jobs more difficult than ever. They need new tools to overcome these obstacles and educate the next generation of Americans, and Congress can help by investing in cutting-edge education research,” said Bennet. “This bipartisan bill will help schools, educators, and policy makers meet today’s education challenges and make necessary, data-based adjustments in the future.”
On May 2, 2024, the inaugural National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) State Dinner was held at the White House. The event welcomed National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) Missy Testerman from Tennessee, state teachers of the year, members of the NTOY selection committee, sponsors, and esteemed guests to honor Testerman as well as celebrate the work of the state teachers of the year in camaraderie.
The event, hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, Ed.D., made history as it was the first time being held at the White House, with distinguished guests Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Secretary of Health & Human Services Xavier Becerra, with a special appearance from President Joe Biden, who addressed the audience with celebratory remarks for the state teachers of the year in attendance, “Teaching is not what you do, but who you are. I realize how hard you all work every day. I just want to say how much I appreciate all you do.”
Participating in AACTE’s Washington Week as a Holmes Scholar and representing Ohio University on different platforms was truly an enlightening and fulfilling experience. Given my international background, this event was a wonderful occasion for me to learn, share, and actively engage in democratic processes that shape the policy of U.S. education.
One of the major highlights of the week was our visit to Capitol Hill. The mentorship provided by AACTE’s program was instrumental in preparing state leaders, Holmes Scholars, and other attendees for advocacy on Capitol Hill. It was an exhilarating and impactful experience to address critical issues in the current educational landscape for policymakers and pave the way to see a positive change in the education sector. The advocacy team I was on was comprised of seasoned state leaders. We focused on addressing federal issues that are prevalent across the states, such as quality education, funding for teacher preparation programs, holistic support for teachers, and the need for a diverse teaching workforce. We shared our state’s best practices for tackling these issues with the legislator’s aides.
This article was originally published on Stephen F. Austin State University’s website and is reprinted with permission.
Nine students in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Education Studies traveled to Washington, D.C., in early June to learn firsthand what it felt like to advocate for their future professions to the U.S. Congress during AACTE’s Washington Week.
Students attending the AACTE’s legislative conference engage in advocacy training and learn about the legislative process for public education. Walking the hallowed halls in which our nation’s representatives decide how best to guide our democracy, they also meet with U.S. representatives, senators, and their staffers, and tour historical sites across Washington.
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.
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.
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).
Are you ready to delve into the heart of educator preparation advocacy? Look no further than AACTE Washington Week — set against the backdrop of the nation’s capital, June 3–5 in Washington, DC. This event promises an unparalleled opportunity to engage with key policymakers, thought leaders, and advocates in the field of education.
AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) unveiled a transformative brand refresh at its 2024 Annual Meeting in Aurora/Denver, Colo., on Feb. 16. The comprehensive update signifies a new era in educator preparation, and Phase I of AACTE’s rebranding. With a modernized logo and an inspiring tagline, AACTE reinforces its position as the leading voice in educator preparation and its charge to stay at the forefront of progressing the field.
The new logo stands as the centerpiece of AACTE’s brand refresh, a symbol of the organization’s vision for educator preparation and its role in shaping the future of education. Moving from the old logo to this new design, AACTE signifies a journey towards what’s possible — for the Association, for educator preparation, and importantly, for each student and educator in the nation’s—and world’s—classrooms.
Join AACTE on Saturday, February 17 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. for the Featured Keynote panel during the 2024 Annual Meeting where education experts will discuss how democracy intersects with education.
The Future of American Democracy, Public Schools, and National Security: What This Means for the Future of Education and the Professions, is informed by research published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which indicates that “liberal democracy is in crisis where it was long thought most securely established.” Additionally, a recent Social Science and Medicine study affirmed this finding indicating that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States was one of 130 countries that experienced threats and violations of espoused and constitutionally codified democratic norms. In a fireside chat format, this lively session examines the knotty intersections between sustaining and protecting American democracy, maintaining public schools as the American institution devoted to producing citizens for our democracy, and teaching social comprehension and history in a manner that enables young people to become skilled researchers able to accurately discern information (and its sources), cultivate knowledge, communicate thoughtfully, and serve humanity.
This Featured Keynote panel will be moderated by education journalist Valerie Strauss, who will be joined by Sigal Ben-Porath, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Pennsylvania; Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., dean emerita of Howard University’s School of Education and dean in residence of AACTE; and Christina Sneed, Curriculum Developer, The Pulitzer Center.
For over 75 years, AACTE has led the nation’s thought leaders and practitioners in advancing teacher education. In addressing the ever-growing shortage of qualified educators, AACTE brings together educators, advocates, policymakers, and practitioners to move from theory to action. AACTE does this through advancing curriculum innovation, developing guidelines for teaching apprenticeships, diversifying faculties of colleges of education, and much more.
Now, for the first time, AACTE is adding another group to join us in advancing teacher education by inviting individual donors to be AACTE champions, investing in our work to elevate educator preparation and grow the educator workforce.
Beginning with #GivingTuesday on November 28, AACTE is launching its inaugural End-of-Year Individual Giving Campaign, “The Future of Teacher Education Starts Now.” As an AACTE supporter, you champion the work of an association that remains the leader in advancing a highly qualified and diverse group of educators for our PreK-12 and higher education communities.
Following up on the highly successful inaugural event last year, AACTE and the Advisory Council of State Representatives (ACSR) are once again sponsoring a highly interactive Virtual State Leaders Institute on Wednesday, November 1 from 12 pm to 5 p.m. ET.
With a low registration fee of $50 per person ($65 for non-AACTE members), anyone active in a state affiliate organization can attend to hear the latest on key state policy issues, connect with and learn from colleagues around the country, and build capacity to advocate on behalf of high-quality educator preparation.
This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet focused on education and is reprinted with permission.
In the last few years, the American education system has been bludgeoned by changes that have upended decades of progress toward better academic, economic and social outcomes for all.
Politicians around the country have been aiming to demolish progressive policies by targeting teaching about race and ethnicity, the LGBTQIA+ community and women’s reproductive rights. Calls for book banning and censorship have become common. These dangerous culture wars will wreak havoc on education and education policy for years to come.
As a teacher and school-based leader, I always understood the necessity of advocating for students and helping them navigate life, and I tried to help other teachers change the trajectory of many lives.
