13 Nov2024
By Shea Kerkhoff and Katherine O'Daniels
AACTE members Katherine O’Daniels, Ph.D., and Shea Kerkhoff, Ph.D., conducted survey research on the teaching of reading in educator preparation programs (EPPs) in Missouri. The survey investigated the reading curricular topics and instructional practices specifically in initial teacher certification programs. The survey items were created to reflect the reading competencies outlined in the Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators and the International Literacy Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals. The survey was taken by personnel working in Missouri who teach courses related to literacy preparation of early childhood and elementary teachers and represent 93% of Missouri EPPs.
The results indicate that Missouri EPPs attend to building evidence-based knowledge and practices aligned with the Science of Reading. The quantitative data identified foundational knowledge related to phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Although it appears that additional focus needs to be given to evidence-based practices for teaching vocabulary, by and large the perception is that teacher candidates are leaving with knowledge and instructional experiences related to the five pillars and their interactive nature.
04 Nov2024
By Institute of Education Sciences
A new NCES Data Point report, Changes in Public School Teachers’ Certification Type, examines the prevalence of public school teachers who did not hold a teaching certificate or held only provisional or emergency teaching certificates in the state where they were teaching, as opposed to regular, standard, advanced, or probationary certificates. It looks at the prevalence over time, by selected teacher and school characteristics, and by state.
04 Nov2024
By AACTE
AACTE recently partnered with the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) to identify members with responsibility over teacher education and to encourage those members to participate in surveys and interviews about how teacher preparation programs are currently integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their curricula and instruction.
The final report offers early insights into how schools of education are thinking about AI and offers recommendations for key stakeholders to accelerate AI integration and instruction within teacher preparation.
04 Nov2024
Continued Gains Made by Students Across State; Accelerated Progress Made by Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students and in Multiple Districts
By California Department of Education
The California Department of Education (CDE) released assessment results that show continued progress made by California’s K–12 students, including accelerated progress in closing equity gaps for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, Black/African American students, and Hispanic/Latino students.
The results include data for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).
28 Oct2024
By Institute of Education Sciences
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released the latest round of findings from the School Pulse Panel (SPP). These SPP data examine the hiring cycle of summer 2024 and community collaborations during the 2024-25 school year, as reported by school leaders in U.S. public schools. All data can be found on the SPP interactive dashboard. Below is a summary of some key findings from this release.
21 Oct2024
By Marc Siegel
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released results from the Oregon Statewide Assessment System’s spring 2024 summative tests, which highlights there is more work ahead to reach pre-pandemic academic performance levels. The results included key areas of progress statewide, with six out of seven grade levels showing improved math scores, while recovery in literacy scores has been slower and more uneven across the state.
Along with the data release, ODE has identified key areas for targeted action to support improved student performance, including continued and increased investment in K-12 literacy, support for summer and afterschool learning, refining data and policy practices, and developing an accountability framework.
07 Oct2024
By Illinois State Board of Education
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) today released early results from a $45 million state investment that show improved recruitment and retention in the state’s most understaffed school districts. The Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program, which was launched in the 2023-24 school year, provided 170 school districts that have the greatest teacher shortages state funds to invest in initiatives to recruit and license new hires and support retention of current educators.
Data is still being collected to assess the full impact of the funding, but ISBE and IWERC announced today that school districts participating in the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program have hired nearly 5,400 new teachers and retained approximately 11,000 additional educators with the funds so far. The districts receiving the Teacher Vacancy Grant collectively serve approximately 870,000 students.
09 Sep2024
By Oregon Department of Education
The Educator Advancement Council, on behalf of and in partnership with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC), and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) announces the release of the 2024 Educator Equity Report. The 2024 Educator Equity Report is the ninth report published by state education agencies since 2015 on educator workforce diversification efforts in Oregon.
The 2024 Educator Equity Report highlights several key findings that underscore the ongoing bright spots and challenges in achieving a more diverse educator workforce in Oregon. It is important to note that no state has a teacher workforce that proportionally mirrors the racial and ethnic diversity of its students. Despite slow progress, states, including Oregon, are actively improving and seeking strategies to recruit and retain teachers of color.
27 Aug2024
By Mississippi Department of Education
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) released the results from the 2023-24 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP), which show student achievement reaching an all-time high in mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA), and science.
Overall, for 2023-24, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced reached a record high of 47.8% in ELA, 56.3% in mathematics, and 63.4% in science. U.S. history decreased slightly from 71.4% in 2022-23 to 70.9% in 2023-24.
The 2023-24 assessment results show student achievement continues to exceed pre-pandemic levels. Student achievement in Mississippi and the nation dropped in 2021 due to the pandemic, though Mississippi students mostly rebounded by 2022.
26 Aug2024
By John Hendron
The 56th PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools finds that Americans’ top educational priorities include the preparation of students to enter the workforce (84%) and the attraction and retention of good teachers in public schools (81%). Other top priorities include an increased focus on student mental health (73%), helping students who have fallen behind academically (72%) and college affordability (70%).
Two other priorities attract smaller majority support for increased federal attention: protecting students from discrimination (58%) and the availability of public pre-kindergarten programs (56%, rising to 67% among public school parents). Just 35% call for an increased focus on the expansion of charter schools.
26 Aug2024
By Deann Gayman
This article was originally published on the University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s website and was reprinted with permission.
Nearly one in four new teachers in the state of Nebraska earn their degree from UNL. Among the May graduates who are now first-year educators is Madison Wosk, a fourth-grade teacher in Sutton, Nebraska, who grew up in Broomfield, CO.
“I’m having a bit of the jitters,” Wosk said from her classroom, as she prepped for the new school year — and her career — to begin. “But the level of preparation at UNL is amazing. I know I have the right tools in my tool belt, and the UNL education program really has prepared me to be the best teacher I could be.”
12 Aug2024
By Linda Darling-Hammond
Last month, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on the status of the American teaching profession, emphasizing the urgent need for policy changes. Chairman Bernie Sanders noted that, because of widespread teacher shortages, “some 300,000 teaching positions—nearly 10% of all teaching positions nationwide—have been left vacant or filled by teachers not fully certified for their assignments.” He, and several other members of the committee, attributed these shortages to the fact that “for decades, public school teachers have been overworked, underpaid, understaffed, and maybe most importantly, under appreciated.”
Teacher shortages have been front and center in the news for a number of years, deepening during the pandemic, and continuing to be a huge issue in many states. Yet, as in all things, states differ in their education policies and in the ways that teachers are prepared, compensated, and supported. These differences can result in dramatically different levels of student access to a diverse, stable, and well-qualified educator workforce across the country.
29 Jul2024
By Karenna Glover
GoReact is excited to announce a significant milestone in the field of education technology: 20% of graduating teachers in the U.S.¹ have utilized GoReact during their teacher preparation programs. This widespread adoption underscores GoReact’s role in enhancing teacher training and improving educational outcomes.
“We are thrilled that so many new educators are using GoReact in their training programs,” said Ken Meyers, CEO of GoReact. “Our platform is designed to make a meaningful impact on the teaching profession by providing aspiring teachers with the tools and feedback they need to become the high-quality educators our country needs.”
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.
06 May2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration released new data showing the breakdown of borrowers approved for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) by the Congressional District. The data showcase how every district across the country has borrowers who are part of the 876,000 individuals who have been approved for $62.8 billion in relief through this program. By contrast, at the start of this Administration, only 7,000 had been approved for PSLF.
The approvals contained in the data are representative of the Administration’s unceasing efforts to fix the broken student loan system and restore the promise of discharge programs. The Administration has helped fix longstanding problems with PSLF through the limited PSLF waiver, while the payment count adjustment has also ensured that borrowers get accurate counts of progress toward forgiveness. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education (Education) also implemented new regulations designed to make it easier for borrowers to qualify for PSLF.
