Join AACTE in Advocating for the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact

By Natalie Khairallah

The Council of State Governments (CSG) is partnering with the Department of Defense and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification to develop the Interstate Teaching Mobility Compact (ITMC) — a new interstate compact — to help offset the steep shortage of teachers across the nation.

The ITMC is a legal contract between two compact member states that will allow teachers greater mobility and more employment opportunities inside the classroom by eliminating additional licensing and testing barriers that would be typically required.

New UM Scholarship Seeks to Improve Teacher Shortage in Rural Alabama Schools

By University of Montevallo

Throughout Alabama, rural school systems are experiencing teacher shortages that the University of Montevallo is stepping up to try and fill.

UM’s College of Education and Human Development has committed to increasing the number of highly qualified teachers to serve in targeted rural public schools by offering the new Rural Recruitment Scholarship to support and prepare students to teach in rural schools.

“Although Alabama is experiencing a statewide teacher shortage, vacancies disproportionately impact rural schools,” said Dr. Courtney C. Bentley, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The College of Education and Human Development is extremely grateful for these generous funds that will help us prepare highly qualified teachers to serve students in these rural communities.”

Secretary Cardona Testifies Before House Education and Labor Committee, Defends Priorities

By Kaitlyn Brennan

This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE. 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and were able to spend time with family and friends to unofficially kick off the summer and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

President Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden spent part of their holiday weekend in Uvalde, Texas to grieve with the community following the horrific act of gun violence that left 19 children and two teachers dead, and several others injured. The massacre in Texas comes just days after an 18-year-old man shot 13 people, killing 10 at a supermarket in the heart of a predominately Black community in Buffalo. Since the start of 2022 there have been 27 school shootings with injuries or deaths. Since the tragedy in Uvalde, less than one week ago, there have been 14 mass shootings across the U.S. Memorial Day weekend alone — spanning Saturday, Sunday, and the federal holiday on Monday- there have been at least 11 mass shootings.

Following the news of the senseless act of violence in Uvalde, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spent the week begging his GOP colleagues to consider a bill that would strengthen background checks on those seeking to buy guns. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) did the same. Senator Murphy was in office in 2012 when a gunman killed 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He took to the Senate floor on Tuesday evening, pleading with Members of Congress to act now on gun reform.

Attend House Subcommittee Virtual Hearing ‘Tackling Teacher Shortage’ on May 25

By Kaitlyn Brennan

•  The Jain Family Institute and the Debt Collective is out with a new policy brief           focused on student loan forgiveness. The brief calls on the Biden Administration to take a “universal, automatic, and generous” approach to canceling student loan debt.
• National Conference of State Legislatures released a report examining how schools are spending their American Rescue Plan dollars. 
• Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education issued their Indicators of Equity in Higher Education report. The report highlights the student loan debt crisis as an indicator of equity.

See you on Twitter @brennan_kait!

Do you have a question about Washington Update? Want more information? Email me, and let’s have a virtual coffee break: kaitlynbrennan88@gmail.com.

Department of Education Solicits Public Input on Amending Section 504

By Kaitlyn Brennan

This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.  

After 45 years, the Department of Education has announced plans to update Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Stay tuned for opportunities to provide feedback to stakeholders on what you would like to see. Take a read for more information on that and more below.

Department of Education Announces Plan to Update Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans to update Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The forthcoming changes will mark the first update to the regulations in 45 years. The Department’s Section 504 regulations were the first set of regulations issued by the federal government that addressed the treatment of people with disabilities through a civil rights framework, rather than through solely a medical or vocational framework. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in public and private programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including schools and postsecondary institutions.

“While the world has undergone enormous changes since 1977, the Department’s Section 504 regulations have remained, with few exceptions, unaltered,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “As we observe the 45th anniversary of these important regulations this month, it is time to start the process of updating them. Just as in 1977, the voices of people with disabilities must be heard and incorporated as we engage in that work.”

Washington Update: A Flurry of Activity on Capitol Hill

By Kaitlyn Brennan

This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.  

Congress may have been on recess for the past two weeks, but it certainly did not feel like that behind the scenes. There has been a flurry of activity surrounding the President’s FY2023 Budget Request. Education advocates are working diligently to get their appropriations requests to Members — hopeful to see historic increases for education funding making it across the finish line. 

The Debate over Student Loan Forgiveness Continues as the Department Cancels $238 Million in Debt for 28,000 Borrowers

On Thursday, President Biden confirmed  reports that he is considering canceling “some” amount of federal student loan debt. “I am considering dealing with some debt reduction,” The President said in remarks at the White House. “I am not considering $50,000 debt reduction.”

Watch Recorded Discussion Addressing Teacher Shortages through Partnerships

By Jacqueline Rodriguez

The Department of Education hosted a national Roundtable addressing Teacher Shortages through collaborative partnerships on April 7, 2022.  The Strengthening Partnerships Between States, School Districts, and Higher Education to Increase the Number of Teacher Candidates Prepared to Enter the Classroom and Provide Immediate Support to Schools included Grow Your Own, Residency, and Apprenticeship Strategies to support pipelines into the education profession.

AACTE’s Jacqueline Rodriguez, vice president for research, policy, and advocacy, laid the context of the national educator shortage with data from AACTE’s recently released second edition of the National Portrait and Fall Member Survey. AACTE members Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Northern Colorado presented innovative programs that are supporting diverse candidates and para-professionals to enter the field. Gwen Perea Warniment, deputy secretary of teaching, learning and assessment for the state of New Mexico, shared the enormous financial investment New Mexico is contributing to state-wide residency programs. In addition to financial investments from the Department of Education, States, and local districts, Manny LaMarre, senior advisor to the Department of Labor, shared the newly established federal level apprenticeship program in teaching.

Members of Congress Call for Affordable Child Care, Expanded Access to Pre-K

By Kaitlyn Brennan

This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.  

It was a busy and historic week in Washington as Members of Congress prepare to head back to home states and districts for the upcoming two-week spring recess. On Thursday, the Senate confirmed the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Justice Jackson is the first Black woman in United States history to serve in such a role. Earlier this week, the National Education Association (NEA) joined a coalition of 27 labor unions calling for the confirmation of Justice Jackson to the Supreme Court. In a statement the coalition notes:

Combatting Shortages of Educators Serving Students with Disabilities

By Jacqueline Rodriguez

AACTE will facilitate a webinar, “Educator Preparation Innovation: Creating Pathways to Strengthen Recruitment,” on Tuesday, April 19. The virtual session is part of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the CEEDAR Center 12-part webinar series focused on evidence-based strategies to strengthen and diversify the special education workforce.

According to multiple research studies, fully prepared teachers in special education are more effective and are more likely to remain in the teaching profession than are teachers who are not fully prepared. It is clear that public schools need fully prepared and credentialed special education teachers.

Secretary Cardona Issues Call to Address Nationwide Teacher Shortage and Student Recovery

By U.S. Department of Education

Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued a nationwide call to action for states, higher education leaders, and schools to tap federal resources and work together to address the teacher shortage and aid student recovery. Today’s announcement builds on President Biden’s call in the State of the Union encouraging leaders to use American Rescue Plan funds to address this critical challenge schools and districts across the country are facing. The call to action coincides with Secretary Cardona’s participation in the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s Summit on Improvement in Education in San Diego.

“I have always known that a well-prepared, well-supported, well-compensated, and diverse educator workforce is the foundation for student success. Educator vacancies and other staff shortages represent a real challenge as our schools work to recover, falling hardest on students of color, students in rural communities, students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners. That’s why I’m proud that the American Rescue Plan has equipped states, school districts, and colleges and universities that prepare our educators with unprecedented financial resources to help overcome this challenge,” said Secretary Cardona. “Today, I am calling on states, districts, and institutions of higher education to use ARP funds to address the teacher shortage and increase the number of teacher candidates prepared to enter the teaching profession. My team will continue to advise state and local leaders on how they can seize this moment; put COVID relief dollars to work in our schools; and achieve a lasting, equitable recovery for our students.”

AACTE’s National Portrait Sounds the Alarm on Declining Interest in Education Careers

By AACTE

Today, AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) releases the second edition of Colleges of Education: A National Portrait. In addition to updating information on colleges of education and their leaders, faculty, and students, this edition features a special analysis on the contributions of community colleges to educator preparation.

This update of AACTE’s signature report offers a comprehensive picture of the nation’s schools, colleges, and departments of education: the work that they do, the people who do that work, and the students they serve. The report describes the key trends and challenges in meeting the nation’s need for highly skilled educators.

Colleges and universities can benchmark their programs against peers, gain innovative ideas to grow and diversify enrollment through community college partnerships, and describe to stakeholders the challenges confronting educator preparation.

Research and Survey Opportunity for Current Candidates for Teacher Licensure

By Muhammad Kara and Zach Curtis

AACTE has partnered with graduate students from the George Washington University and the Learning Policy Institute to distribute a survey intended for current candidates for teacher licensure. Specifically, they are seeking candidates of programs that have a teacher residency, student teaching, or Grow Your Own component. Candidates of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as candidates for special education bilingual education, are highly encouraged to participate. This survey will aid research on the ways in which AmeriCorps grants could be utilized to deploy highly prepared teachers to high-need schools.

A Spotlight on TQP Applications, Mask Mandates, Free Speech, and the Teacher Shortage

By Kaitlyn Brennan

Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages

This weekly Washington Update is intended to keep members informed on Capitol Hill activities impacting the educator preparation community. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.   

So much around the world has changed since our last Washington Update. While Congress was on recess all eyes were on the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. We suspect Congress will respond to the President’s request and put forth a supplemental funding package that includes critical assistance for the Ukraine and additional support for addressing future variants of COVID-9. We also anticipate an FY 2022 omnibus appropriations package that has a significant increase for both defense and non-defense programs, including education, will pass sometime next week.

Innovation Begins with Education: It’s Time We Make it a Priority

By Lynn M. Gangone and Ronn Nozoe

This article originally appeared in District Administration and is reprinted with permission.

Our nation’s most significant innovations stem from education. From the founding of our nation to the moon landing in 1969, from the introduction of personal computers in 1971 to the advent of the internet in 1983, such accomplishments would not have occurred without education and an educated populace. Without educators we will not continue to innovate, create, and lead the world. We have ignored the dwindling number of people entering the field of education for decades. As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of teachers exiting classrooms only continues to increase.

AACTE Presents on Teacher Shortage for District HR Officers and State Licensure Agencies

By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.

In February, Vice President for Research Policy & Advocacy Jacqueline Rodriguez and I presented at the National Teacher Shortage Summit. The Summit was hosted by the American Association of School Personnel Administrators and co-sponsored by numerous organizations, including AACTE.  Our presentation summarized findings from numerous AACTE studies on trends in educator preparation and featured initiatives by several AACTE members to address the shortage of teachers and other essential educators.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) subsequently recorded a webinar with the two of us, summarizing our presentation, and has made it available free for AACTE members. The webinar also features other presenters from the Summit.