Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

One of AACTE’s key strategic priorities is to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. AACTE and its members value the diversity of students, their families, and educators; equity in access to high quality instructional environments; and the inclusion of all students, defined as access and opportunity, in PK-20 classrooms.

“AACTE believes that, in educator preparation, diversity involves having understanding, awareness, acceptance, acknowledgement, and representation of differences. Equity includes meeting learner needs by delivering social justice, differentiating instruction, and providing equal access. Inclusion entails celebrating differences, understanding everybody has something to contribute, and providing opportunity for all to be at the table,” said Dr. Lynn M. Gangone, AACTE President and CEO. “In education today, we must address the persistent problems of the inequities of access, discrimination and bias, as well as the underrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse populations among educators.”

Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Video Series

In 2019, AACTE released its new video series on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in educator preparation. The videos address a wide variety of topics ranging from promising practices for recruiting and retaining teachers of color, to the importance of culturally relevant teaching for growing the special education teacher pipeline and promoting equal access to quality teachers. The video series serves as a resource for the educator preparation community to effectively address the imperative for preparing well qualified teachers to meet the diverse needs of 21st century learners. AACTE will release its next DEI video series in 2021.

AACTE introduces the second season of its DEI video series, a resource for the educator preparation community to effectively address the imperative to prepare well qualified teachers to meet the diverse needs of 21st century learners. The eight-episode season launched with two videos: Combatting Racial and Social Injustice in Education and Diversifying the Pipeline of School-Education Leaders. AACTE members will have access to the full second season on the Connect360 online community.

AACTE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Handbook

Strategies that Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Educator PreparationThe AACTE DEI Handbook (2020) features successful ways AACTE members implement at their educator preparation programs (EPPs) in pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It highlights strategies that support faculty and staff professional development in the areas of culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy and practices. Additionally, effective ways EPPs support the recruitment and retention of a racially and ethnically diverse educator candidate pool are shared.

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