22 Apr2024
By U.S. Department of Education
For more than 50 years, Title IX has paved the way for tremendous strides in access to education for millions of students across the country. Every student deserves educational opportunity free from discrimination. That is why today the U.S. Department of Education (Department) released its Final Rule under Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. The final regulations promote educational equity and opportunity for students across the country as well as accountability and fairness, while empowering and supporting students and families.
“For more than 50 years, Title IX has promised an equal opportunity to learn and thrive in our nation’s schools free from sex discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “These final regulations build on the legacy of Title IX by clarifying that all our nation’s students can access schools that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights.”
08 Apr2024
By Nicole Dunn
We invite you to join AACTE in celebrating Arab American Heritage Month. This annual observance is a significant opportunity to recognize and honor the vibrant heritage and invaluable contributions of Arab Americans in our schools and communities. There are an estimated 3.7 million Arab Americans in the U.S.; however, schools are often unable to identify students who are Arab American because they are classified as White by the United States Census Bureau (SPLC Learning For Justice, 2021).
26 Mar2024
By Erika Moore
Navigating the dynamic landscape of higher education in Florida as a Black woman academic presents a unique set of challenges in today’s political climate. However, amidst these challenges lies an opportunity to catalyze transformation for future generations. As minority women, we often find ourselves in spaces where representation is lacking, our voices may be marginalized, and the path forward appears uncertain. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Black faculty represent only about 6% of all faculty in colleges and universities. Furthermore, 2% of full and 5% of assistant professors are Black women. Many Black women in academia struggle to find support from mentors and influential figures who can advocate for their advancement into leadership positions. Navigating one’s career becomes even more daunting when access to cultural or social capital is limited.
From my journey as an undergraduate student to a doctoral candidate, my mentors have instilled in me the belief that my presence in this space is a personal triumph and a legacy for those who came before me and those who will follow. This conviction has been my guiding light throughout my higher education journey. As a faculty member at a predominantly white institution (PWI), I intentionally mentor, coach, support, and empower minority women in academia. Mentorship is a powerful tool through which I aim to model the type of servant leadership needed in education.
19 Mar2024
By Tyler Pointer
Join AACTE on Tuesday, March 26, at 1:00 p.m. EST for Lunch with Lynn, to learn about the work of AACTE 2024 Edward C. Pomeroy Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education Winner, Kimberly A. White-Smith, Ed.D.
White-Smith, dean and professor at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego and vice president of the California Council on Teacher Education, will join AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D. to share her insight on the realm of teacher education. White-Smith has over 25 years dedicated to urban schooling and educator development and has been a fervent advocate for academic justice, particularly for marginalized communities.
11 Mar2024
By Brooke Evans
AACTE Lunch & Learns return on Wednesday, March 20 from 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ET with guests from the University of Northern Colorado’s (UNC) Award-Winning Center for Urban Education.
UNC is the inaugural recipient of the AACTE 2024 Increasing Educator Diversity: Promising Practice Award. Overseen by AACTE’s Programmatic Advisory Committee on Educator Diversity, this award, recognizes a promising practice from a school, college, or department of education demonstrating outcomes and advocacy related to various activities, practices, programs, pedagogies, systems, and/or policies that lead to or is likely to lead to, an increase in educator diversity.
26 Feb2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released four new resources today with information for students, parents and families, and schools addressing the civil rights of students with disabilities, as well as a data snapshot about education access for students with disabilities drawn from OCR’s 2020-21 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC).
OCR issued these new resources to inform students with disabilities, and their families and schools, about their legal rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities by institutions that accept federal financial assistance, which includes almost all public schools and public and private institutions of higher education.
“We issued these new resources to give students, including those with asthma, diabetes, food allergies, and GERD, as well as their families and schools, important tools to understand when and how they are protected by federal disability rights laws,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon.
22 Feb2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) released its 2023 Update to its Equity Action Plan, in coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government equity agenda. This Equity Action Plan is part of the Department’s efforts to implement the president’s executive order on “Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government,” which reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to deliver equity and build an America in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.
The Department believes that our nation’s future is brighter when we provide every student and every community with equitable access to an academically rigorous, well-rounded education in a safe and inclusive school. We are answering President Biden’s call to prioritize equity across government by working intentionally to ensure our policies, grants, and programs address longstanding disparities in education still faced by underserved students, families, and communities.
22 Feb2024
By AACTE
The robust support from AACTE’s state affiliates bolsters our unified advocacy endeavors, fostering the exchange of invaluable experience and expertise. In addition, it opens doors to diverse professional development opportunities for our members. With great enthusiasm, we are delighted to announce an upcoming development opportunity, accessible to all, presented by our New York Chapter.
The New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE) will host a webinar on February 28, 2024, to highlight student perspectives regarding the current status of education and the racial diversity gap among teachers in New York. Students enrolled in educator preparation programs in New York, as well as those associated with the My Brother’s Keeper Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC II) and AACTE Holmes Masters programs, will impart their perspectives and personal experiences with the current state of education. You will also develop an awareness and admiration for the importance of programs like TOC II and Holmes in helping to eliminate obstacles to workforce diversity.
Register for this webinar online.
09 Feb2024
By AACTE
Higher education is going through a seismic change — traditional methods are crumbling as the value proposition is increasingly questioned in our public discourse. Student needs are changing, while the ways education and work are delivered are transforming.
Howard Teibel, president of Teibel Education Consulting, will deliver the closing keynote of the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting on February 18 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. to explore cultivating resiliency as change is at the forefront in educator preparation programs across the nation.
Teibel will pose the questions: What skills enable emotional resiliency that allow us to lead this kind of change effort? How can we best orient faculty, deans, and their colleagues to focus and build this shared commitment?
29 Jan2024
By AACTE
As the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting quickly approaches, Ed Prep Matters will highlight presenters of Featured Sessions and Learning Labs. These accomplished experts represent a diverse spectrum of thought leadership in the field of teacher education, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience, and groundbreaking insights to the forefront. Get ready to be inspired by members in the field, each poised to elevate and shape the future of educator preparation.
Learning Lab: Leveraging Innovation and Partnerships to Increase Educator Diversity
Investments in educator diversity initiatives continue to show measurable success. The plight to diversify the educator workforce requires federally funded programs that support innovative and sustainable solutions. This session will highlight the most recent federal effort, the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers for Excellence Program inaugural grantees, and the innovative projects and partnerships that are underway at minority-serving institutions to develop educators to meet the current and future needs of a diverse K-12 student population.
In this member spotlight, Amy Ginsberg, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education at William Paterson University discusses her presentation in this Learning Lab and what attendees can look forward to in this engaging conversation.
23 Jan2024
By Alexandra Saccone
This article originally appeared on University at Buffalo’s website and is reprinted with permission.
Before arriving at UB to pursue her Ph.D., Dawnavyn James taught elementary students in Missouri for seven years, where she learned that young students are a lot smarter — and a lot more ready to learn about Black history — than we give them credit for.
“It all started in the classroom,” James said of her new book, “Beyond February: Teaching Black History Any Day, Every Day, and All Year Long.” The book began to take shape after she wrote a blog post referencing her experience teaching Black history. Through this post, she met her editor, who encouraged her to turn her ideas into a book. James’ guide to teaching Black history was published this fall, just a year after she began her doctoral studies.
Drawn to UB by the Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education, where she is a fellow, James studies how elementary teachers use picture books to teach Black history. “I’m really looking at how teachers analyze picture books and teach Black history based on what they know about Black history,” she explains.
22 Jan2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration announced the approval of $4.9 billion in additional student loan debt relief for 73,600 borrowers. These discharges are the result of fixes made by the Administration to income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Today’s announcement brings the total loan forgiveness approved by the Biden-Harris Administration to $136.6 billion for more than 3.7 million Americans.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has worked relentlessly to fix our country’s broken student loan system and address the needless hurdles and administrative inaccuracies that, in the past, kept borrowers from getting the student debt forgiveness they deserved,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The nearly $5 billion in additional debt relief announced today will go to teachers, social workers, and other public servants whose service to our communities have earned them Public Service Loan Forgiveness, as well as borrowers qualifying for income-driven repayment forgiveness because their payments are for the first time being accurately accounted for. Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we’re approving this loan forgiveness while moving full speed ahead in our efforts to deliver even greater debt relief, and help more borrowers get on a faster track to loan forgiveness under our new, affordable SAVE repayment plan.”
09 Jan2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The Biden-Harris Administration announced eight new grant awards today totaling more than $37 million over five years under the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) program and one new grant for $10 million over five years under the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) program. This $47 million investment, issued by the U.S. Department of Education (Department), bolsters the capacity of states to support school districts in improving school facilities with the goal of more equitable access to healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments for all students.
“These new investments in modern, healthy, and sustainable school infrastructure reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to both promoting student success and protecting our planet for generations to come,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Research has shown that modern, well-maintained facilities and healthy learning environments can help schools Raise the Bar by increasing student achievement, reducing absenteeism, and improving teacher retention. At the Department of Education, we’re going to keep fighting to provide every student in every community with access to safe and healthy 21st-century schools that inspire learning, unleash imagination, and motivate children and youth to bring their best each day.”
03 Jan2024
By Stacie Brensilver Berman
Queering the Curriculum: Advocating for and Affirming LGBTQIA+ Identities in the Teacher Education Curriculum in Challenging Times is a webinar intended for faculty and staff who are preparing teacher education students to work with all students, with a special emphasis on important curricular considerations for LGBTQIA+ candidates, cooperating teachers, and K-12 students and families. Join nationally recognized experts as they discuss how recent legislation that targets LGBTQIA+ identities has the potential to shape teacher education and how teacher educators can respond via curriculum and instructional decision-making.
I started teaching high school in 2001 at a large public high school in New York City, highly regarded for its theater and arts programs. Two-thirds of the students identified as female and one-third identified as male; several students were openly gay. It was a rare and different environment for the time; though there was growing recognition and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community we were not yet at a moment where, when surveyed, 20% of the generation that I taught identified as LGBTQ+.
Teaching in New York City, and this particular school, allowed me opportunities to integrate LGBTQ+ history in ways that I might not have felt safe doing in other schools. Early in my career, I saw the way students’ faces lit up when they felt represented in the curriculum. Conversely, I also learned how to address and navigate homophobic comments that students made in class, often based on preconceived ideas they learned outside of school. Neither my colleagues nor the administration weighed in on what I should or shouldn’t teach. It seemed right and accurate to me to teach LGBTQ+ history, so I did. It was only later, as a doctoral student, that I started to understand the level of support necessary to effectively and meaningfully bring this history into our classrooms.
03 Jan2024
By Michael Slaton
The Clemson University College of Education is dedicated to improving teacher preparation and student outcomes in every classroom, focusing on underserved schools and communities. With this in mind, researchers in the college are interested in classroom practices and the effects of education policies on schools, districts, and entire regions.
Two recent grants awarded to college faculty showcase both ends of this spectrum.
Faiza Jamil, associate professor in the college, uses data from multiple sources to examine the effectiveness of district policies designed to increase the number of teachers from diverse backgrounds. Meanwhile, Kristen Duncan, an assistant professor in the college, uses more qualitative research to examine how Black educators tackle challenging discipline-specific content with students.
