Month: July 2022

GLOBAL
Education International (EI). Refugee teachers are key to overcoming the teacher shortage and transforming education    In Sweden, EI member organisation Lärarförbundet was directly involved in the development of a fast-track for refugee teachers aiming to give participants a coherent individual path to a Swedish teaching certificate. 

Graphic Online [Ghana]. Govt releases GH¢57.4m to colleges of education   Dr Adutwum, who said this at the National Dialogue on Initial Teacher Education in Accra yesterday, stressed that there was no way the government would stop paying allowances to teacher trainees.

Monash University. A call for volunteers to teach Ukrainian children displaced by war: Do you have spare time and a teaching background? Help Ukrainian children to experience the gift of learning.   Over one hundred of our pre-service teachers have already put up their hand to participate in this initiative. And now we are extending the invitation to all interested Australians who have a background in teaching.

Morocco World News. Teaching and Teacher-Training research Gains Traction in Morocco   Research about teaching – and how to best train teachers – is progressing in Morocco, thanks to a project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Arizona State University (ASU). The Higher Education Partnership–Morocco (HEP-M) has helped Moroccan educators since 2020 to strengthen their system for training primary-school teachers, which the government of Morocco has identified as a top priority in raising the quality of education.

UNITED STATES
American Association of College for Teacher Education (AACTE). AACTE Names Outstanding Book Award After Renowned Educator Gloria J. Ladson-Billings: Entries Open   AACTE announced today that it named its annual Outstanding Book Award in honor of the prominent American pedagogical theorist and teacher educator Gloria J. Ladson-Billings…. AACTE is currently accepting entries for the 2023 Gloria Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book Award. The deadline to apply is August 19.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: What American Must Do to Attract and Retain the Educators and School Staff Our Students Need. AFT Teacher and School Staff Shortage Task Force Report

Chalkbeat.
1) For this LA educator, teaching Asian American history and activism is personal   But improving the experience for all students requires better training for educators, she said. “Our teacher education programs need to emphasize more anti-racism and social justice,” she said. “I think it’s fundamental that teachers are trained.”
2) I overcame enormous financial challenges to become a teacher. Would I always feel like an outsider?   Those who see the need for more educators of color often don’t understand what prevents teachers like me from entering and staying in the profession.

Deans for Impact. Valerie Sakimura named next executive director of Deans for Impact   … was a member of the founding team of DFI and has served as the organization’s vice president of program for the last seven years… has led the organization’s work to partner with educator-preparation programs to better prepare future teachers. .… Sakimura received her bachelor’s degree in social studies from Harvard University…

Education Week.
1) The Outlook Is Bad for School Hiring This Fall   Fewer than one-third of respondents said they have enough candidates for teachers, paraprofessional, and food service worker positions… Strategies to cope with the staffing challenges have included shifting to a four-day school week, tapping emergency certified teachers, and using contractors to fill staff gaps.. The Emporia district in Kansas recently… opting for staggered start times, hiring qualified student teachers from a nearby university, and transferring instructional strategists to teaching roles.
2) What Does It Mean to ‘Overspend’ on Teacher Salaries?   Teacher salaries generally reflect academic degrees and years of experience. For example, the salary schedule for 12-month teachers in Montgomery County, Md., starts at $61,436 for new teachers with a bachelor’s degree (for 10-month employees, it’s $52,286).

Florida Times Union. 5 things to know about how military veterans in Florida can teach without certification   Under the new law, which took effect July 1, veterans don’t need a college degree at all. And they aren’t restricted to which subjects they may teach. All they need are: *At least 48 months of military service with an honorable or medical discharge; *At least 60 college credits with a 2.5 point-grade average (out of 4) or above; *A passing score on a Florida subject area exam for bachelor-level subjects; and *A job in a Florida school district, including charter schools.

National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE). Family Engagement Core Competencies: A Body of Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions for Family-Facing Professionals   Research shows that family engagement is, in fact, foundational for student achievement, particularly in low-income and culturally diverse communities, where the achievement gap is most severe. Yet, teachers lack the training and capacity to effectively engage families. Since its inception NAFSCE has placed closing this preparation gap as a strategic component of its work.

New York Times. Over 150 Lesson Plans Based on New York Times Articles   From the geometry of the cauliflower to a game about gerrymandering, a collection of lesson plans from the 2021-22 school year to help students understand world events and draw connections to their own lives.

Philadelphia Inquirer.  Pa.’s teacher shortage is now a ‘crisis.’ Here’s how the state plans to bring in thousands of educators by 2025   Over the next three years, officials said, they would aim to increase the number of students enrolled in Pennsylvania’s teacher preparation programs from 18,000 to 21,600, and lower the number of educator vacancies at all Pennsylvania schools. To do this, they will rely on stronger recruiting strategies for aspiring teachers, making policy changes to educator preparation programs with help from the state Board of Education and General Assembly, and expanding programs like apprenticeships.

Politico. The Education Department has a plan for canceling student debt — if Biden gives the word   Senior department officials are preparing the mechanics of how the agency would operate a mass loan forgiveness program.

Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). SBEC Work Panel Discusses edTPA Following SBOE Veto   The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) held a work session July 21… The Board heard from an invited panel of stakeholders that included a representative for school districts/human resources administrators, traditional higher education, alternative certification, certification/testing… TEA staff provided a limited number of options that the panel could consider for next steps…

Texas Tribune. It’s not just COVID-19: Why Texas faces a teacher shortage   …  most of Texas’ educators get certified through alternative programs and are more likely to leave than teachers who went to more traditional four-year schools… and had no guidance on how to face the challenges of working in disadvantaged schools.

The74. NM Professor Recruiting Native American Teachers to Work in Their Hometowns   The program is open to Native American students enrolled in UNM’s Department of Education as well as Natives students with at least a bachelor’s degree in a field that can be useful in a K-12 classroom… UNM’s Institute of American Indian Education is recruiting recent or soon-to-be college graduates who are Native American to teach K-12 in their home communities. 

NEW YORK STATE
The New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education (NYSCATE).  40 FREE online courses for all NYS educators! Developed by NYS educators, the courses are a perfect way for all teachers to learn WHAT they want, WHEN they want. [available until Sept. 30, 2022]

New York State Education Department (NYSED) Public Comment Periods for Proposed Regulatory Changes: Send comments on the proposed changes to: William P. Murphy, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Higher Education, Room 975, Education Building, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234. Email: [email protected].
1) New Literacy Education All Grades Certificate – This proposal is out for public comment a second time since NYSED revised the original proposal. This revised proposal reduces the number of practicum hours that would be required for this certificate from 100 (50 hour each in B-6 and 5-12) to 50 across the entire grade span B-12. The revised proposal also addresses the required pedagogical core. Deadline for submission of comments is August 15, 2022.
2) School Building Leader (SBL) Programs – This emergency measure extends by one year (to Sep. 1, 2023) implementation of the previously adopted regulations requiring SBL programs to be aligned with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSELs). The proposal also extends by one year (to Aug. 31, 2025) the School Building Leader Assessment safety net. Deadline for submission of comments is August 29, 2022.
3) SOCE – This proposal would extend by one year (to Sep. 1, 2024) the implementation timeline for the computer science statement of continued eligibility (SOCE). Deadline for submission of comments is August 29, 2022.
4) Career and Technical Education (CTE) – This proposal would allow computer science courses to be used to meet required CTE credit. Deadline for submission of comments is August 29, 2022.

NEW YORK CITY
Bank Street College of Education. With Thoughtful Design, Teacher Residencies Can Benefit from New Department of Labor Funding Opportunities   The U.S. Department of Labor’s recent approval of teaching as an apprenticeable field offers an exciting opportunity for teacher preparation. Programs are now eligible to become Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) — federally recognized career pathways that offer paid on-the-job training linked with coursework, culminating in credentials for practice. As an apprenticeable field, preparation programs now have a chance to harness some of the financial resources available to RAPs in service of developing a more diverse, well-prepared teaching force.

Chalkbeat.
1) NYC slated to get 3,000 new child care seats this fall, Hochul says   The grants are expected to help new child care providers in certain areas build programs by covering start-up and personnel costs, as well as with recruitment, training, and supporting staff in accessing COVID-19 vaccines, state officials said.  
2) Virtual Event: NYC is promising to overhaul literacy in NYC schools. What will it take?  [Aug. 10 4:30pm. RSVP required]

NYNMedia. Revamping how we teach reading must be fundamental to NYC DOE reforms: Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David Banks took promising first steps by proposing a shift to an evidence-based reading curriculum and comprehensive dyslexia screenings    … we need to train our teachers not only to teach in ways proven to create stronger readers, but also to identify and understand the dyslexic students and other diverse learners in their midst. 

Teachers College.
1) New Jaffe Family Gift Bolsters Scholarship Funding for Returning Peace Corps Volunteers: The $1.7 million gift reaffirms a 30-year-plus commitment to supporting returning volunteers who will teach in New York City public schools   And with this new gift, the Jaffes have contributed nearly $6.5 million since 1990 to support returning Peace Corps volunteers who pursue master’s degrees in teacher education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and teach in New York City public schools following graduation.
2) New York Voters Strongly Support a Black Studies Curriculum in Public Schools: A new survey of Black voters from TC’s Black Education Research Collective (BERC) provides critical context for ongoing efforts to implement one of the first PK-12 Black Studie  The study was conducted with funding from a $3.25 million, one-year grant from the New York City Council to support BERC’s creation of an interdisciplinary Black studies curriculum and professional development program for teachers in New York City’s public schools. 
3) Six Takeaways for Building Cultural Inclusion and Equity in the Classroom  TC’s Reimagining Education Summer Institute offers educators and school leaders actionable tools for antiracist education  

GLOBAL
Kathmandu Post. Revitalising the teaching profession: Academic institutions should offer competitive salaries and benefits to teachers.   …institutions should provide monetary support for the teachers’ professional development; this may include helping them to pursue their academic goals by paying their university fees, for example, if they want to pursue a degree related to teacher education or educational science. In return, teachers can commit to render service to the institution for a certain number of years.

UNESCO.
1) Setting Commitments: National SDG 4 Benchmarks to Transform Education, 2022   Angola: a slight acceleration in teacher training is intended, on the hypothesis that by 2025 all new teachers will have the appropriate qualifications… Colombia: One of the central components of such care is education, and, in this regard, special importance has been given to teacher training for early education, as well as to reinforcing the oversight and monitoring of the centres that provide early education… France: The government aims to improve students’ performance by prioritizing mathematics competencies from the first year of primary education, increasing dedicated instruction time at the secondary level and strengthening teacher training in this domain… Guyana: the number of centres conducting initial teacher training has been expanded across the country. Teacher trainees now have access to synchronous and asynchronous training for the first time… Mexico: At the pre-primary level, the country aims to increase the proportion of trained teachers to 86% in 2025 and 87% in 2030, and at the primary level to 96% in 2025 and 97% in 2030. At the upper secondary level, benchmarks were set with a view to achieving universal teacher training by 2025.
2) To transform education, we need qualified, motivated and supported teachers.  More teachers are desperately needed. Globally, we are still millions of teachers short: recent estimates point to sub-Saharan Africa alone needing 15 million teachers to achieve SDG 4 by 2030. Compounding the teacher shortage, in many countries, teachers lack minimum qualifications and training.

UNITED STATES
Chalkbeat.
1) Indiana’s teacher shortage has some schools scrambling   … has relied more heavily on emergency permits; those are temporary credentials that allow people who aren’t licensed to teach a certain subject. They’re used when schools can’t find a qualified teacher for the job. Emergency permit holders must have a bachelor’s degree and be working toward a license in that subject area.
2) Tennessee governor responds to outcry over Hillsdale charter leader’s criticism of teachers   In a radio interview Wednesday with conservative talk show host Matt Murphy, Lee said Arnn’s remarks about teachers and teacher training have been taken out of context and emphasized that they were not aimed at Tennessee educators. “I’m not going to rebut someone who was speaking about left-wing problems in public education in this country that have actually hurt the genuine work of our teachers,” Lee said. “That’s why we in our state passed a law prohibiting critical race theory. 

Chronicle of Higher Education. ‘Uninformed, Misguided, Irresponsible’: Hillsdale President’s Remarks Roil Tennessee Educators   Ellen McIntyre, dean of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, said in an interview that the standards for educators who train teachers in Tennessee are “the highest I’ve ever seen.” McIntyre has previously taught at three other universities. According to Estes, students are not allowed into a teacher-education program in Tennessee unless they have a score of 21 or higher (out of 36) on the ACT. Once a student is admitted into a state-approved program, “we have 110 clinical hours minimum before any student-teaching, you’ve got GPA requirements, and even for licensure on the content and pedagogy tests … we have some of the highest requirement scores in the nation.”

CBS42. AL Board of Education votes to change teacher certification requirements due to staff shortages   Alabama’s State Board of Education Tuesday lowered the Praxis test score requirements potential teachers need, as long as they have a 2.75 GPA in their teaching field or complete 100 hours of professional learning… The Board also approved a waiver program that allows schools considered to be in “critical need” of staff to hire teachers who scored within two standard errors of measure below the requirement.

Education Week.
1) A Big Gap in K-12 Leadership Prep: Teaching School Finance Skills   There’s still debate over how deep educator-preparation programs should go into school finance… States can also invest in building financial literacy among K-12 leaders by requiring traditional university-based preparation programs to include a base body of financial knowledge as part of their programs…
2) Emergency Certified Teachers: Are They a Viable Solution to Shortages?   Emergency certification implies something of a rare and urgent nature. It was under those circumstances that districts began hiring ECTs… As districts’ reliance on ECTs grows, perhaps so should support that will increase their chances of success.
3) How Teacher-Prep Programs Should Help Future Educators Adapt to Crisis and Change   Here’s how Gawronski recommends teacher education programs adapt: Practice what you preach…Use what you know… Don’t assume the status quo will return… Examine mentor-mentee relationships. 
4) States Relax Teacher Certification Rules to Combat Shortages   Across the country, policymakers are taking steps to relax their states’ certification requirements to get more teachers in the classroom and circumvent shortages. Reviews by Education Week and the Education Commission of the States found about a dozen states that have recently amended—or are considering amending—teacher certification rules.
5) Virtual Career Fair. Connect quickly and easily with 65 recruiters from school districts and companies across the country at the EdWeek Top School Jobs Virtual [July 21st, 1-5pm EDT]

Fox News. Educators in Arizona can begin teaching at public schools before earning college degree: Legislation will give public schools greater options in recruiting educators, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says   Educators in Arizona’s public school system will only need to be enrolled in college to begin teaching in a classroom after Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation last week meant to help these schools recruit future educators as the state continues to face a teacher shortage.

InsideHigherEd.
1) Calling It Quits: It remains unclear just how many professors are leaving their jobs during the Great Resignation, but stories about who is leaving, and why, abound.  Peters said that he didn’t rule out staying in academe following his departure from UW Whitewater, but also said that he had “grown more skeptical” of it, “especially in teacher education. So much of teacher training is very stagnant. There isn’t enough innovation and there’s a lot of resistance to change.”
2) Hillsdale Leader’s Slurs of Teacher Preparation Stoke Tennessee Controversy   Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee has come under fire from teacher groups and education leaders in his state for sitting by as the president of Hillsdale College—who is advising him on education policy—referred to teachers as being trained “in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges.” Lee is among the Republican governors who are turning to Hillsdale and its president, Larry Arnn, for advice on education policy. As an institution that describes itself as a small, Christian, classical liberal arts college that shuns federal funding and “social justice,” Hillsdale has built a national network of charter schools and has become influential with conservative politicians such as Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida.

Truthout. The Right Wants to End Teacher Certification. It’s Already Starting to Happen.   Teaching candidates with advanced degrees, says anti-CRT activist Christopher Rufo, should be viewed with suspicion: Don’t “hire the ones with the masters, because those are the crazies.” In April, anti-CRT activist Christopher Rufo called for state lawmakers to rescind requirements that teachers hold education degrees, claiming that masters programs in education only exposed future teachers to left-wing ideology. 

Univ. of Houston. Alternative Teacher Certification Program for STEM   The Alternative Certification Program for STEM teachers is managed by the teachHOUSTON program at the University of Houston. The certification program targets college students in their senior year, as well as college graduates of all ages with a STEM background (15 hours of math or science), who aspire to become secondary STEM teachers.

Washington Post.
1) Teachers go to the ‘dumbest colleges’ — who said it and why it matters   The reference to teaching being trained in the “dumbest part of the dumbest colleges” involves data released years ago saying that education majors go to schools that have lower SAT scores than more selective schools — as if SAT and ACT scores were an important determinant as to what kind of professional a student graduating from a less selective school will be. They aren’t — and in fact, the majority of America’s highest-ranking schools have suspended or ended the use of SAT/ACT scores for admissions.
2) The hit comedy ‘Abbott Elementary’ is really a tragedy   In 2019, teachers earned 19.2 percent less than workers with comparable education and experience, according to the nonprofit Economic Policy Institute. 

NEW YORK STATE
New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education (NYSCATE). 40 FREE online courses for all NYS educators! Registration Now Open! No charge to NYS Educators! Learn at your own pace! CTLE hours available

NYSED Board of Regents July meeting
Higher Education Committee Consent Agenda
* Proposed Amendment Relating to the Admission Requirements for Graduate-level Teacher and Educational Leadership Programs  The proposed amendment is necessary to align the Commissioner’s regulations with recent changes to section 210-a of the Education Law regarding admission requirements for graduate-level teacher and educational leader programs… Chapter 620 of the Laws of 2021 removed the statutory requirement for a minimum score on the graduate record examination or a substantially equivalent admission examination, as determined by an institution of higher education, for admission to a graduate-level teacher or educational leadership program. Additionally, Chapter 626 of the Laws of 2021 increased the percentage of an incoming class that may be exempted from the required selection criteria for admission to a graduate-level teacher or educational leadership program from fifteen percent to fifty percent.
* Proposed Amendment … Relating to Extending Flexibilities for Incidental and Substitute Teaching  Because the May emergency action will expire on August 14, 2022, a second emergency action is necessary to ensure the emergency rule remains continuously in effect until it can be permanently adopted at the September 2022 Regents meeting… The Department now proposes to extend these flexibilities for incidental teaching and substitute teaching again to the 2022-2023 school year. This proposal enables school districts to address their continuing teacher shortages by providing them with flexibility in making teaching assignments.
* Proposed Amendments…Relating to Establishing Registration Requirements for Residency Programs and Revising Residency Certificate Requirements  In response to this increased interest in residencies, the Department is proposing to establish registration requirements for residency programs in section 52.21 of the Commissioner’s regulations. The registration requirements provide programs with the flexibility to create their own residency models while setting consistent standards for residencies in teacher preparation programs… The proposed registration requirements for residency programs state that a residency must be at least one academic year in length and include at least 1,000 hours of clinical experiences for candidates, enabling them to experience the full range of a teacher’s annual responsibilities, in alignment with the daily schedule and annual calendar of the educational setting.
* Appointment to the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching   The Department is recommending that Wen Ma fill one vacant higher education seat, due to a resignation, that expires June 30, 2025.

NYSED Office of Higher Education. June Educator Preparation Newsletter
BOARD OF REGENTS JUNE ITEMS
* School Building Leader. The Department proposed an emergency measure that extends the date by which school building leader (SBL) preparation programs must be aligned with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSELs) from September 1, 2022 to September 1, 2023 in order to provide programs with additional time to revise their curriculum…
* Literacy. At the February 2022 Board of Regents meeting, the Department presented a proposal to establish the Literacy (All Grades) certificate. In response to public comments, the Department revised the proposal and presented the revised proposal to the Board of Regents…
* Computer Science. The Department proposed two regulatory amendments related to computer science….
* Additional Science Certificate. To help address the persistent statewide shortage of science teachers, the Board of Regents adopted a regulatory amendment to revise the content core requirement in registered teacher preparation programs such that candidates who hold a science certificate, or are simultaneously preparing for two or more science certificates, would complete 18 semester hours, instead of 30 semester hours, in the subject area(s) of the additional science certificate(s)…
HIGHER EDUCATION ENROLLMENTS POSTED Data on Fall 2021 enrollments in New York State institutions of higher education are now posted on the Higher Education Reports webpage.
TEACHER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION PROCESS   Registered teacher preparation programs must develop or choose a teacher performance assessment (TPA) that meets the criteria in the TPA definition, and must integrate the assessment into the candidates’ student teaching, practicum, or similar clinical experience by September 1, 2023.

NEW YORK CITY
Chalkbeat.
1) To help my students who struggle with reading, I had to do some serious soul-searching: Now, I know why my lessons weren’t getting through to them.   My teacher’s training courses did not prepare me for what would happen when a lesson failed, when my students didn’t get it, or even when I felt like giving up.
2) NYC teachers get little to no training on lockdown drills: During a lockdown drill, it’s up to each teacher to decide how to lead the process and respond to students’ emotions.   Teachers are not trained on how to explain drills to students, support students with mental health needs, guide students with disabilities who struggle to remain quiet and still, or navigate classrooms that have physical limitations. 

Teachers College. Fulbright Fellowships for Visiting Scholars Sam Abrams and Nick Wasserman  Abrams is the author of Education and the Commercial Mindset (Harvard University Press, 2016), an exploration of the failed private sector efforts to manage public schools. He envisions writing a sequel that documents how businesses collaborate with schools to foster effective job training… Nick Wasserman (Ph.D. ’11, M.A. ’08), Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, is spending the summer advising secondary teacher education programs in Chile on learning resources for the teaching of advanced university mathematics courses such as abstract algebra and real analysis.

Wall Street Journal. Black, Latino Teachers Collecting $835 Million in Discrimination Lawsuit: New York City to set aside a total of nearly $1.8 billion for plaintiffs who alleged teacher licensing test was biased   The concession by the city in recent months means around 4,700 onetime New York City teachers who were demoted or fired since 1995 because they couldn’t pass the state licensing exam can go to court to collect a piece of the funds… The state required the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test [LAST] for teacher licensing from the 1990s until 2014…