19 Aug2016
By Sharon Robinson
You frequently hear AACTE champion the virtues of advocacy—of making your voice heard to help land you a place “at the table” rather than “on the menu.” AACTE staff are practiced at this habit, engaging in regular meetings with key officials at the U.S. Department of Education and elsewhere to share the work of the Association and our membership. I am pleased to share that some of these efforts have paid off with an invitation from the Department to collaborate on an upcoming teacher preparation summit.
The Department invited AACTE and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities to be partners on the summit, scheduled for November 3-4 in Washington, DC, as part of the “Teach to Lead” series focused on amplifying teachers’ voice and role in transforming education and related policy. This event will bring teams of educators together to discuss actionable ideas for collaborative, teacher-led improvements to teacher preparation. We are honored to represent you at the table on this critical issue.
11 Aug2016
By Angela Maynard Sewall
On Wednesday, August 17, AACTE will present the first webinar in a new series called “Raising the Bar and Enhancing Partnerships for Principal and Supervisor Preparation.” This event will look at how colleges of education can engage with state legislators and agencies responsible for standards implementation, program approval, licensure, professional development, and school improvement.
01 Aug2016
By Tim Finklea
Please join the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) in partnership with AACTE for this fall’s CAEP Conference, September 29–October 1 in Washington, DC. Online registration is open now through September 9.
The CAEP Conference, known as “CAEPCon,” is an opportunity to share evidence of innovations, continuous improvement, and transformational practice as well as to be informed on the CAEP accreditation process. Held twice a year, the event convenes educator preparation providers, state and local education agencies, and various education organizations and associations to share strategies and best practices along with innovative ideas about accreditation’s role in ensuring candidate readiness.
18 Jul2016
By Jennifer Roth, John Henning and Patricia Alvarez McHatton
A dynamic group of 80 leaders from educator preparation programs nationwide gathered in Portland, Oregon, for AACTE’s annual Leadership Academy June 26-30. This year’s participants came from all types of institutions, some on their own and others in pairs or teams. Many had just accepted a new role as a chair or dean, others were experienced in their positions, and some were enhancing their skills in preparation for future career opportunities.
The 5-day event featured several general sessions addressing such topics as establishing authority, building consensus, assembling a team, and managing change. Two guest sessions on inclusive education were added this year, one presented by the Ohio Deans Compact on Exceptional Children and the other by the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform Center. Based on the positive response to these offerings, AACTE plans to continue including special topics at future Leadership Academies.
08 Jul2016
By Juan Betancur, Agustin Castillo, Azaria Cunningham, Francisco J. Ocasio and Sharon Leathers
As participants in the William Paterson University (WP) Holmes Network–part of the AACTE Holmes Program–we have enjoyed many new and stimulating opportunities. Throughout the past year, we’ve received mentorship and other valuable support as Holmes Honors students (undergraduates in teacher preparation programs) and Holmes Master’s students (in-service teachers in graduate programs), and last month we capped it all off with an inspiring trip to AACTE’s Washington Week.
20 Jun2016
By Kristin McCabe
Online registration is now open for the 28th annual seminar of the Japan-U.S. Teacher Education Consortium (JUSTEC), to be held November 4-7, 2016, at Japan’s Ehime University. An early-bird discount is in effect through August 15.
This year’s theme is “Collaborative Teacher Education With Local Communities,” with sessions that aim to explore regional rather than national solutions to local needs for educator preparation. The conference schedule includes an optional site visit to two local schools, a city tour, keynotes and seminar presentations from both U.S. and Japanese educators, networking and meal events, and more.
14 Jun2016
By Denarius Stinson
AACTE’s 2016 Day on the Hill welcomed more than 120 member participants to the nation’s capital last week, building their capacity for political advocacy and delivering them to Capitol Hill to present their messages personally to member of Congress and their staff.
The event kicked off June 7 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Attendees enjoyed a full-day orientation, expanded from prior years to more fully prepare them to articulate their positions, cultivate positive relationships with elected officials and the media, and partner with other education advocates.
AACTE President/CEO Sharon Robinson welcomed participants, saying she was excited to convene members for such an important cause. “We are taking on some of our greatest challenges,” she said. AACTE Board of Directors Chair Jane Bray and Committee on Government Relations and Advocacy Chair Joen Larson joined in offering greetings.
09 Jun2016
By Whitney Watkins
The annual Holmes Scholars Dissertation Symposium and Retreat convened May 27-28 at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando. The retreat served as an invaluable exchange of knowledge, mentorship, and networking. Professionals in the fields of counseling and mentoring, qualitative research, quantitative research, and grant writing guided more than 70 participants in their doctoral journeys.
09 Jun2016
UPDATE: Submission deadline for Best Practice and Professional Achievement Awards has been extended to October 26
By Kristin McCabe
Nominations for all of the 2017 AACTE awards are now open on AACTE’s online submission site. To read detailed submission information, please refer to the official Call for Entries.
Now in its 21st year, AACTE’s awards program recognizes member institutions’ exemplary programs as well as individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to education preparation. For an overview of last year’s winners, see this press release.
31 May2016
By Katrina Sheffield
With AACTE’s Washington Week nearly upon us, we asked two past participants in the Holmes Scholars Summer Policy Institute–one signature component of the week’s events–for feedback on their experience at the institute and the subsequent AACTE Day on the Hill activities. Holmes Scholars Kish Cumi of the University of Louisville (KY) and Ahmed Fahad of the University of Cincinnati (OH) offered the following responses, providing a preview of what participants can expect at this year’s event starting June 6:
31 May2016
By Christine Tambini
The registration and hotel deadline for this year’s AACTE Leadership Academy is fast approaching. Reserve your spot by June 2 for this unique and engaging professional development opportunity in Portland, Oregon, June 26-30 at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower!
As always, the program will be led by a roster of faculty who are experts in various aspects of educator preparation and administration. This year’s passionate team includes both new and veteran academy faculty (click here to learn more about each one):
Kandi Hill-Clarke
Walter H. Gmelch
John Henning
Patricia McHatton
Jennifer Roth
Angela
Maynard Sewall
24 May2016
By Zachary VanHouten
AACTE’s Day on the Hill is just around the corner, offering plenty of opportunities for members to improve and apply their advocacy skills during our 2016 Washington Week. Please join us June 7-8 in the nation’s capital!
For the first time ever, the Day on the Hill orientation will feature a full day of activities designed to increase your advocacy capacity both in Washington, DC, and at home. Together with other AACTE members from around the country, you will learn how the Association collaborates with colleague organizations in Washington to drive the narrative on teacher preparation, hear from reporters with national news outlets about how to cultivate your relationship with the media, and develop strategies to build and grow relationships back home with district office congressional staff.
23 May2016
By Rodrick Lucero
I am excited to announce that this year’s Leadership Academy will feature new programming related to preparing teachers for exceptional learners. Enhancing an already robust leadership curriculum being offered June 26-30 in Portland, Oregon, we’ve planned a special set of new sessions to engage participants on how to lead programs that prepare teachers to educate every child.
Members of the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center at the University of Florida and the Ohio Deans Compact on Exceptional Children are collaborating with AACTE to bring this new dimension to the Leadership Academy. Together, we hope to elevate awareness and interest in serving exceptional learners among decision-makers in teacher preparation. The presentations and conversations with guest experts will create a space in which new and aspiring leaders can learn and gather ideas that can be operationalized in their home colleges and programs.
17 May2016
By Gail Bozeman
Several members of AACTE’s Member Engagement team attended the U.S. Department of Education’s May 6 National Summit on Teacher Diversity. The event, held at the conclusion of Teacher Appreciation Week, provided a forum to examine the need for a more diverse teaching workforce and to share best practices for recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers of color.
Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr., offered opening remarks about the importance of diversifying the educator pipeline. “Students of color would benefit from having more educators and role models who look like them,” he said. “And White students would benefit from seeing more people of color in leadership positions in their schools.”
17 May2016
By Zachary VanHouten
Join AACTE Government Relations Director Deborah Koolbeck for an update on the latest developments in Washington, DC, at one of two free webinars this month exclusively for AACTE members.
Learn about the state of the appropriations process, action on the proposed regulations on teacher preparation programs, ESSA implementation, and movement on other important legislation.
The webinars will be offered on separate dates and at two times of day to accommodate different time zones. A recording will be made available after the events on AACTE’s Resource Library in case you’re unable to attend either session. Click on your preferred session below to register:
Tuesday, May 24, 5:00 – 6:00 PM EDT
Wednesday, May 25, 10:00 – 11:00 AM EDT
