AACTE’s Inaugural Virtual Conference Convenes Teacher Educators and Students From Across the Nation to Advocate for Educator Preparation

(September 9, 2020, Washington D.C.) – The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) is convening its inaugural, virtual conference—the AACTE 2020 Washington Week—throughout the month of September. Today kicks off the Association’s signature advocacy event, Day on the Hill, themed “Your Voice Matters.” The annual event brings together education leaders and students from across the country to advocate for teacher preparation. Advocacy training sessions will take place September 9-10, and virtual congressional visits will be held September 15-16.

“AACTE embraces the important and essential role that advocacy and activism play in shaping the education system, not just in our society, but across the globe. AACTE members influence the trajectory of change in education,” said Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D., president and CEO of AACTE. “We gather to advocate for education, for children, for those who have no voice, and for those who have grown weary and lost hope. There is tremendous power in our collective voice.”

With the recent impact of the coronavirus and other societal issues on education, attendees will make their voice heard to congressional leaders about successful strategies to advance educator preparation and address the new challenges that schools and colleges of education face. Attendees will also advocate for effective policies that dismantle systemic racism in education; fund aid for colleges and universities in their recovery from the pandemic, and equip institutions with tools to reduce the spread of coronavirus on their campuses; as well as bipartisan efforts to strengthen school safety and liability protection.

In addition to AACTE’s Day on the Hill, other key events taking place during this year’s AACTE Washington Week include:

Holmes Policy Institute: September 8-10

AACTE’s Holmes Program brings together Scholars, coordinators, and leaders to discuss current issues such as civil rights in education, social justice, policing in schools, community-based participatory research, and mobilizing for change. 

State Leaders Institute: September 22-23
AACTE’s State Leaders Institute (SLI) convenes state chapter leaders from AACTE and the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) to enhance educator preparation at the state level, with a focus on ways to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in education.

“Washington Week covers current issues and trends impacting our classrooms, our society, and our world,” said Ann Elisabeth Larson, Ph.D., chair of the AACTE Board of Directors. “During these challenging times, it is imperative for congressional leaders to hear AACTE members’ voices about the support, funding, and policies needed to advance the work at our institutions and to move the profession forward.”

To learn more about the AACTE 2020 Washington Week, visit aacte.org, and follow what’s happening on Twitter at #AACTEWW20.

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AACTE: The Leading Voice on Educator Preparation

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs and partners dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are profession-ready as they enter the classroom. The 800 member institutions include public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam. Through advocacy and capacity building, AACTE promotes innovation and effective practices that strengthen educator preparation. Learn more at aacte.org.