16 Sep2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) awarded $251 million to 27 grantees across the country who are working to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to in-demand, good-paying jobs of the 21st century. These five-year grants, under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) program, will continue to promote competitive, integrated employment (CIE) so that youth and adults with disabilities are paid real wages for real jobs while creating pathways to some of today’s most in-demand fields.
“Today, more than 60 million adults live with a disability – each with unique talents and strengths. In our 21st century economy, we must provide more opportunities for these individuals to achieve their goals for competitive integrated employment, independence, and economic self-sufficiency,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Through the Disability Innovation Fund and today’s announcement, we’ll make progress to overcome historic barriers to employment, while ensuring the varied needs, preferences, and goals of individuals with disabilities remain at the center of our vision for a strong, inclusive workforce.”
09 Sep2024
By U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced more than $28 million in new awards in the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program to recruit, prepare, develop, and retain a strong, effective, and diverse educator workforce for classrooms across the country.
The Department also released new data showing the breakdown of borrowers approved for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) in every state. The data showcase how every state has borrowers, including educators, that are part of the $69.2 billion for nearly 947,000 borrowers that have seen relief through this program. By contrast, at the start of this Administration, only 7,000 had been approved for PSLF.
09 Sep2024
By Elyssee Gibson
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a seven-year, $35 million GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant to Appalachian State University’s College Access Partnerships in the Reich College of Education. The award represents the largest single grant ever awarded to the university.
GEAR UP is a federally funded college access program designed to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education immediately after high school. Through a wide range of research-based services to students, families, and teachers, the GEAR UP NC Appalachian Partnership aims to improve college-going mindsets, high school graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment rates.
22 Jul2024
By Tennessee Department of Education
The Tennessee Department of Education announced over $2.6 million in Perkins Reserve Grant (PRG) grant funds have been awarded to 55 school districts for the 2024-25 school year to support Career and Technical Education (CTE) across the state.
The PRG grant awards support the implementation of programs of study aligned with emerging technology in regionally identified high-skill, high-wage, and/or in-demand occupations or industries, implement STEM in all CTE classrooms, and increase support for special education students. Additionally, the PRG grant opportunity is designed to support districts in rural areas and maintain high CTE student participation rates.
22 Apr2024
By Taj Magruder
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today announced that $1.5 million in grant funding is available to help schools create learning opportunities that will bolster the Commonwealth’s next generation of special educators.
“The Shapiro Administration is laser-focused on growing and expanding the Commonwealth’s educator workforce, and we know that one of the areas of greatest need is in the field of special education,” said Secretary of Education Khalid N. Mumin, Ed.D. “This grant funding will complement the efforts we have already undertaken to create a pipeline of high-quality educators who can serve students from all walks of life and those with disabilities or different needs.”
04 Mar2024
By Virginia Department of Education
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) awarded its second round of Grow Your Own Grants totaling $1.52 million to 24 school divisions to assist in creating registered teacher apprenticeship programs to help recruit and train well-prepared future teachers within their communities. A focused approach to helping school divisions deal with teacher recruitment challenges, Grow Your Own programs help future teachers work towards their bachelor’s degrees and fulfill all licensure requirements so that upon completion of the program participants will be ready to accept a full-time teaching position in their communities.
The VDOE has partnered with the National Center for Grow Your Own to become a national leader in helping develop effective registered apprenticeship programs to assist school divisions in recruiting teacher candidates from their local communities. Under this model, aspiring Virginia teacher candidates can include paraprofessionals and other staff already working in the schools, dual-enrolled graduating high school seniors, or career switchers with an interest in classroom teaching. Twenty-eight Virginia school divisions have launched Grow Your Own registered teacher apprenticeship programs during the 2023-2024 school year.
29 Jan2024
By Kansas State Department of Education
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will oversee an $8.4 million federal grant awarded to the state to create the Kansas Youth Transition Network, a statewide initiative that will help students with disabilities make the transition from education to employment.
“This grant will help youth with disabilities statewide connect to the supports that meet their individual needs as they transition from high school to college, other postsecondary opportunities, or directly into competitive integrated employment,” said Dean Zajic, assistant director for KSDE’s Special Education and Title Services (SETS) team and project director for the grant.
22 Jan2024
By Iowa Department of Education
The Iowa Department of Education today announced that $1.7 million in competitive grants are available to Iowa school districts to align secondary career and technical education programs with industry-recognized credentials. The new Credentials to Careers grant will support high schoolers earning credentials with labor market value.
“By expanding opportunities to attain an industry-recognized credential in high school, the Credentials to Careers grant helps connect the classroom to the workforce,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Students earning portable, stackable credentials will be ready to succeed in high-wage and public-good careers, changing lives and strengthening communities.”
Industry-recognized credentials are certifications, credentials, or licenses that are vetted by employers and endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization in a particular industry. Credentials are available across many career pathways, including those in health sciences, information technology, construction, manufacturing, child development, culinary, and business.
08 Jan2024
By Martin Ackley
Ninety-six additional school districts in Michigan will be developing more teachers from within their ranks with Future Proud Michigan Educator Grow Your Own (GYO) staff grants, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announced today. This is the second round of Grow Your Own grants awarded by MDE, building on the school districts awarded grants in the first round.
GYO staff grants provide opportunities for districts to increase the number of teachers in areas of shortage by supporting school employees seeking initial teacher certification or additional teacher endorsements, in response to their unique local needs for staffing. Each awardee will administer its own GYO program in partnership with one or more educator preparation providers.
“Grow Your Own programs provide an opportunity for schools to develop educators from within their districts and benefit from their successful experiences working with children,” said State Superintendent Michael Rice, Ph.D. “We continue to invest our resources to rebuild the teaching profession in Michigan in partnership with our school districts and teacher preparation providers—all in support of children.”
08 Jan2024
By Michael Bratton
AACTE Teacher Stories is a series highlighting the experiences of K-12 educators who are attending or alumni of AACTE member institutions. AACTE invites preservice and in-service school teachers to reflect on how they are applying the practices, frameworks, and strategies they acquired during their educator preparation program (EPP) studies to assure student success. Please email submissions to Tyler Pointer at tpointer@aacte.org.
A Bowling Green State University (BGSU) graduate student was recently recognized for her exceptional performance in the classroom by receiving the Emerging Leader Award from the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics — an honor given to a current mathematics pre-service teacher or a mathematics educator who has taught for five years or fewer.
Kaitlyn Solymosi ’22, who earned a bachelor’s degree in integrated mathematics education and has been involved in the University’s Math Camp, Math Emporium, and was a Thompson Family Scholar, said she found herself immersed at BGSU from the start.
“I was going to math conferences as a freshman, and I joined the math-ed community way before I was in my own classroom student teaching,” Solymosi said. “My experience at BG was definitely more than I expected to get out of a math-ed degree.”
12 Dec2023
By Weade James
At AACTE, we believe in the power of community to transform the future of teacher education. On GivingTuesday, AACTE launched its inaugural end-of year-giving campaign inviting stakeholders to join in advancing the work of and support for teacher education. On behalf of AACTE, thank you to those who participated in the campaign’s kickoff.
As a supporter, you champion the work of an association that remains the leader in advancing a highly qualified and diverse educator workforce to meet the needs of PreK-12 and higher education communities.
With the goal of raising $10,000 before the end of the year, AACTE is still accepting gifts, no matter the size.
Donate today and designate how you want your tax-deductible charitable gift to be used.
28 Nov2023
By AACTE
AACTE is excited that the launch of its first-ever individual giving program begins today, November 28, with #GivingTuesday — offering you and others an opportunity to have a direct impact on building the next generation of the educator workforce. Members and educator preparation advocates are invited to be a part of this inaugural giving campaign, “The Future of Teacher Education Starts Now.”
Your tax-deductible gift to the campaign will greatly assist AACTE in its work to elevate educator preparation and grow the educator workforce. Become an AACTE champion and directly impact the programs, products, and services that create a more robust, diverse, and high-quality educator workforce.
28 Nov2023
By Advance Illinois
Illinois’ much-publicized teacher shortage crisis actually showed signs of stability and even improvement during the exceptionally challenging COVID-19 pandemic period, a new report from education policy expert Advance Illinois has found. Still, despite encouraging progress, there is much work ahead to ensure there are high-quality, diverse educators in Illinois classrooms and some concerning trends to overcome, the report finds.
At a launch event in October featuring key policy leaders in education, Advance Illinois released its latest in-depth report on one of the most significant challenges facing Illinois public schools: finding more qualified, well-prepared, and diverse teachers and leaders to guide students in every school.
The new report, The State of Our Educator Pipeline 2023: Strengths, Opportunities, and the Early Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, is the follow-up to the group’s 2022 report The State We’re In, an early examination of the impact of the pandemic on Illinois’ education system.
07 Nov2023
By Maureen Tracey-Mooney
The U.S. Department of Education has published a new Raise the Bar Policy Brief, Eliminating Educator Shortages through Increasing Educator Diversity and Addressing High-need Shortage Areas. The brief highlights key Department efforts to support and advance educator diversity and address high-need shortage areas, as well as national and state data on teacher diversity and areas in which states have particular shortages. It includes visualizations spotlighting state and national data on educator diversity, including in a range of roles and the diversity of students enrolled in educator preparation programs, as well as data on states’ projected shortage areas for 2023-24.
The Department is committed to a comprehensive policy agenda to recruit, prepare, and retain a racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse and well-prepared educator workforce. This includes promoting educator diversity while recruiting, preparing, retaining, and supporting teachers, administrators, and other educators and ensuring that education is a profession that people from all backgrounds can pursue. Developing and supporting a diverse educator workforce is critical to strengthening student success. Additionally, addressing high-need shortage areas ensures all students have access to a high-quality, well-rounded education. Through Raise the Bar: Lead the World, the Department is working in partnership with states, tribes, local educational agencies (LEAs), and educator preparation programs (EPPs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), to eliminate educator shortages in our nation’s schools and to strengthen and diversify the education profession.
22 Sep2023
By AIR Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
Educator preparation programs (EPPs) have an opportunity to strengthen existing district partnerships and lead the way in co-designing teacher Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), including the launch, operation, and continuous improvement of programs. EPPs should be at the table as states, districts, and other partners establish these mutually beneficial partnerships and subsequent teacher RAPs by offering options and informing how the classroom training, related instruction, and hands-on experience are fulfilled.
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) Center on Great Teachers and Leaders is partnering with AACTE, the CEEDAR Center, and InnovateEDU to host a webinar that will expand upon the report, Take a Seat at the Table: The Role of Educator Preparation Programs in Teacher Apprenticeship Programs. In the webinar, we will provide concrete strategies and examples of the role that EPPs can play in teacher RAPs, drawing on National Guideline Standards that were developed by the Pathways Alliance and recently published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Leaders from Ball State University and Missouri State University will share their experiences with designing, implementing, and funding teacher Thwacks.
The Take a Seat at the Table: The Role of EPPS in Teacher Apprenticeship Programs webinar will take place Wednesday, October 11, 2:00 – 3:00 pm. ET. To join this webinar, please complete the registration form. Participation in the webinar is free, and additional colleagues are welcome.
Presenters
• Lynn Holdheide, AIR, CEEDAR Center, and Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
• Weadé James, AACTE
• Sabrina Baptiste, InnovateEDU
• Reesha Adamson, Missouri State University
• Susan M. Tancock, Ball State University
• Carrie Lively, The Pursuit Institute
