NACCTEP

Have you been formulating your proposal? Are you fine tuning it? Time is running out! There is only one week left to submit your proposal for the NACCTEP Community College Track at AACTE 2027. Full information and the link to submit can be found at https://www.nacctep.org/professional-development-events/aacte-nacctep-community-college-track

AACTE American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

If you missed the SchoolSims session we had in last spring, here's your opportunity to learn more about what SchoolSims can do for your program.

SchoolSims

We're halfway to the proposal deadline for the first ever Community College Track day at AACTE 2027. Help us make the day a success by submitting your proposal. Category descriptions and submission information is on our website at https://www.nacctep.org/professional-development-events/aacte-nacctep-community-college-track

AACTE American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

Who among your colleagues do you admire? What amazing innovation has your program developed? Which educational partnership has knocked your socks off? Take a few minutes to submit a nomination for a NACCTEP Award at https://www.nacctep.org/nacctep-awards, there are multiple awards available from five different categories, so get your nominations in before the October 28th deadline.

This episode has NACCTEP Now in conversation with Dr. Jerell Hill, currently Dean of Counseling and Guided Pathways at Los Angeles City College and Affiliated Scholar at the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Dr. Hill's background from being a first generation community college student through to both public and private universities encompasses more than twenty-five years in education, including as a classroom teacher working with special education students in middle and high school settings before moving into school and district administrative roles. All of these roles have shaped Dr. Hill's research interests which include teacher preparation, academic achievement, educational equity, and student motivation among several other areas.

Dr. Hill discusses the need for leaders to be learners, that students can be both learners and teachers for their teachers. He describes conscious gratitude as honoring and transforming hardships into purposeful successes and achievements, as resilience and determination in the face of the burdens that students face.

His research and work has shaped his new book Developing Conscious Gratitude in Schools: A Blueprint for Shifting from Burdens to Brilliance (Emerald Publishing).

Listen now at nacctep.org/podcasts or through your preferred podcast provider.

Los Angeles City College

We're excited to be hosting the first ever Community College Track day at AACTE 2027. The window for submitting proposals is open with a deadline of 11:59 PM PDT on September 30th. Check out the specific details and submit your proposal here: https://www.nacctep.org/professional-development-events/aacte-nacctep-community-college-track or follow the QR code below.

AACTE American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

Together with Deans for Impact, NACCTEP's 2026 Fall Institute will be held on Thursday, October 22nd. From Myth-Busting to Practice: Using the Science of Learning to Strengthen Teacher Preparation is a one-hour Train-the-Trainer virtual event. Visit https://www.nacctep.org/professional-development-events/fall-institutes/2026-fall-institute to register for this FREE event.

Deans for Impact

Now that the fall semester has started, do you want to be part of leadership cohort? Are you interested in how you can improve your leadership skills? Set aside time on September 24th and October 8th to be a part of the 2026 NACCTEP Leadership Network. Register now at https://www.nacctep.org/professional-development-events/2026-leadership-network

Something NEW is coming to AACTE 2027!

For the first time, NACCTEP will host a dedicated Community College Track at AACTE 2027 in Columbus, Ohio.

Friday, February 26 will feature a full day of sessions focused on the programs, partnerships, pathways, research, and ideas shaping community college educator preparation.

A full day.
A dedicated room.
A national platform for community college educator preparation.

Now we need YOUR voice in the room.

The Call for Proposals is officially OPEN!

We invite community college faculty and leaders, university and school district partners, researchers, policymakers, state and national organizations, and others invested in strengthening the educator workforce to share their work.

Proposal deadline: September 30, 2026

Help us fill the Community College Track with the people, ideas, and partnerships moving educator preparation forward.

Learn more and submit your proposal at https://www.nacctep.org/professional-development-events/aacte-nacctep-community-college-track

AACTE American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

Darcie Peterson of the IRIS Center is back to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the IRIS Center. In this episode she shares how the IRIS Center's modules and resources are constantly evolving based on the latest research-backed information as well as from user feedback. Their primary focus is translating research into high-quality instructional resources that are accessible and flexible.

Among this year's updates are significant revisions to several modules in the secondary transition and early childhood topic areas, as well as the Measuring Behavior case study. Other tools and supports have been relocated to the For Faculty section of the website, including the Wraparound Resources and Navigation Videos.

In order to reduce confusion around earning a downloadable PD certificate for module completion, IRIS has made changes to the module landing pages offering the choice up front regarding whether or not someone wants the certificate or simply to complete the module without earning the certificate which includes pre- and post-tests. They have also removed the module outlines and will be retiring the answer keys on August 31st.

Lastly, Mrs. Peterson feels the hidden gems of the IRIS Center website are the Fundamental Skill Sheets which can be found using the IRIS Resource Locator.

Links to resources mentioned in the podcast can be found in the description at nacctep.org/podcasts where you can listen for yourself.

The IRIS Center