23 Dec2014
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE congratulates its Board of Directors member Candice McQueen on being named the next Tennessee education commissioner by Governor Bill Haslam last week. McQueen is currently senior vice president and dean of the College of Education at Lipscomb University. She will assume her new role January 20, 2015.
As the Tennessee commissioner of education, McQueen will oversee all of the work of the Tennessee Department of Education. She will lead the implementation of statewide assessments, the evaluation of curricula across Tennessee, and the execution of education initiatives of the governor as a member of the cabinet. McQueen has also accepted the challenge to oversee education standards that could mirror Common Core standards or Tennessee-specific standards, and she is tasked with creating and implementing a new state standardized test, “TNReady.” The commissioner has a role in creating the test and ensuring it aligns with what’s taught in the classroom.
16 Dec2014
By Lucy Berrier
Congratulations to the future members of AACTE’s Board of Directors! In an online election that ended November 28, AACTE members chose several of their colleagues to serve a 3-year term beginning March 1, 2015:
Arlinda Eaton, Kennesaw State University (TECSCU)
Pamela Carroll, Oklahoma State University (At-Large)
Dianne Mark, Coastal Carolina University (At-Large)
Jennie Whitcomb, University of Colorado at Boulder (At-Large)
16 Dec2014
By Gloriatine Jones
The December 2014/January 2015 issue of Educational Horizons is now available from Pi Lambda Theta.
Thanks to a partnership with Phi Delta Kappa and Pi Lambda Theta, all AACTE members receive free online access to this magazine for future teachers as a benefit of their AACTE membership. Chief Representatives also receive each issue by mail.
15 Dec2014
By Gloriatine Jones
‘Tis the season to celebrate! AACTE is extending its new-member incentive by offering 50% off the regular dues rate to new and reinstating member institutions for 2015.
In addition, new members that join by December 31, 2014, and submit their 2015 dues payment with their application will receive free membership for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year.
15 Dec2014
By Jerrica Thurman
Year after year, AACTE’s Annual Meeting attracts attendees from around the nation. Read what these past participants have shared about the value of attending:
“You come here and you’re talking to people in the same boat who have to worry about the same things. It’s just been a really good conference.” – Bruce Smith, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
24 Nov2014
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE has hired two new senior directors in the Department of Policy and Programs. Linda S. McKee is the Association’s senior director for performance measurement and assessment policy, and Rodrick S. Lucero will be senior director for member engagement and support.
“We are delighted to welcome Linda and Rod to AACTE,” said Mark LaCelle-Peterson, AACTE vice president for policy and programs. “Each of them brings extensive experience in education, from public schools and higher education to work with associations. They’ll add to our ability to respond to the needs of our members in an immense way.”
12 Nov2014
By Gloriatine Jones
Are you looking to join AACTE? There is still time to experience the many benefits and services of AACTE membership at reduced rates, including access to advocacy networks and strategies for educator preparation issues on federal and state levels, accreditation technical assistance, discounted conference registration, and much more!
04 Nov2014
By Sharon Robinson
Each year, our nation’s PK-12 schools rely on colleges of teacher education to prepare thousands of new teachers. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools is expected to grow from 55 to 58 million. Already, schools in high-need urban and rural areas struggle to recruit and retain enough qualified teachers, and many districts do not have sufficient special education or STEM specialists to serve student needs. Amidst these growing needs, however, enrollment in teacher preparation programs nationwide is falling, and data from AACTE’s 800 member institutions show reductions over the last decade in both undergraduate and graduate programs. What’s at the root of this worrisome decline, and how can we start to turn the tide?
28 Oct2014
By Kristin McCabe
Georgia, Ohio, Montana, New Hampshire, and Utah have been selected to receive technical assistance from the University of Florida College of Education’s Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center. The center supports states in developing educators to prepare students with disabilities for colleges and careers.
21 Oct2014
By Julie Underwood
As a board member and officer of AACTE, I have grown to appreciate the complexity of the organization. A remarkable variety of institutions opt to unite around common interests under this “big tent” association.
Of course, you may think about AACTE membership from your own institutional perspective. Members of the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education (AILACTE) may view AACTE as their organization, just as members of the Council of Academic Deans from Research Education Institutions (CADREI) may view us from their perspective. Certainly, members of the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU), where the largest number of new educators are taught, think of AACTE from their perspective. In fact, the Board of Directors is designed to reflect the various institutional types within AACTE, with designated seats for AILACTE, CADREI, and TECSCU representatives as well as for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and historically Black institutions. In reality, AACTE represents the entire array of U.S. teacher preparation institutions.
20 Oct2014
By Lucy Berrier
Did you need extra time to submit your 2015 AACTE award application? You’re in luck!
The submission deadline for the 2015 Best Practice and Professional Achievement Awards has been extended until Friday, October 24.
Act now and nominate the innovative and exemplary program at your institution for a Best Practice Award! These awards highlight the work members are doing each day to improve the field of educator preparation:
- Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology
- Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Teacher Education
- Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity
09 Oct2014
By Kim Murray
Want to stay current with your TAG? Looking for the latest edTPA information? Want to know about new programs that match your interests? Be sure to keep your personal AACTE profile current to reflect your areas of interest and up-to-date contact information.
Why not update your profile now? Just log in to our online Profile Manager – it’s easy and fast.
Questions? Contact the AACTE membership department at membership@aacte.org.
08 Oct2014
By Gloriatine Jones
The 50% off 2014 AACTE membership offer for new and reinstating members has been extended to the end of the year. Institutions that join AACTE can enroll several faculty and staff to experience all of AACTE’s many benefits and services at a significantly reduced cost.
03 Oct2014
By Lucy Berrier
Nominations for all of the 2015 AACTE awards close FRIDAY, October 10! Submit an entry now at AACTE’s online submission site. To read detailed submission information, please refer to the official Call for Entries.
The following awards are still accepting nominations:
- Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology
- Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives
- Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity
- Margaret B. Lindsey Award for Distinguished Research in Teacher Education
- David G. Imig Award for Distinguished Achievement in Teacher Education
- Edward C. Pomeroy Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education
02 Oct2014
By Lucy Berrier
The AACTE Board of Directors met September 11-12 in Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting agenda, led by Chair Julie Underwood (University of Wisconsin Madison), dealt with topics from the Innovation Exchange and membership engagement to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), as well as information around the organization’s operations and federal and state policy updates.
President/CEO Sharon P. Robinson reported on the operations of the organization, highlighting the Innovation Exchange, growth in membership, a successful 2014 Annual Meeting, and a strong first application cycle for the Research Fellowship.
