The NASDTEC Communicator for January 21, 2025

The NASDTEC Communicator, our organizational newsletter, is distributed twice monthly. Below you will find information on events, announcements, media releases, news items, other reports and events of interest to NASDTEC members. The newsletter is delivered via email and posted in the NASDTEC Online Community and mobile app. Some links contained below may require your NASDTEC member login.

Feel free to share this newsletter with colleagues and encourage them to join our distribution list at https://www.nasdtec.net/page/Communicator. 

NASDTEC Calendar and Upcoming Events

Regional Meetings

Western Regional Meeting - January 22, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET

Central Regional Meeting - February 12, 2025, at 11:00 AM ET

Southern Regional Meeting - February 12, 2025, at 11:00 AM ET

Northeast Regional Meeting - February 12, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET

NASDTEC FORWARD FUND…Pay it Forward by Giving Back

Now in its sixth year, the NASDTEC Forward Fund was established by NASDTEC’s Executive Board as a way for members and their colleagues and communities to Pay It Forward By Giving Back to education. It’s initial priority is to support classroom teachers, especially those in under-represented groups and those who serve in high-need schools.

Let’s support another cohort of impressive classroom teachers from across the nation who will each receive $1,000 help their students and schools.

The honorees will join us at the 96th Annual Meeting in Charlotte, NC, June 15-17, 2025, to share their experiences and planned use of the funds.

Learn more about the former recipients’ initiatives here. Their stories certainly demonstrate the importance and impact of the Forward Fund, NASDTEC’s first philanthropic outreach.

Consider further supporting classroom teachers by giving to the 2025 NASDTEC Forward Fund

Our goal is to raise $6,000 by January 31, 2025.

Online donations are quick and easy using our secure credit card transactions. We welcome donations of all sizes and payment plans – whether it's a one-time gift, a monthly contribution or part of a matching gifts program. Consider designating your gift in honor or in memory of others.

Consider accepting one of the following challenge levels so we may recognize your commitment to giving back to a profession that has given each of us so much.

Consider Paying it Forward by Giving Back through the 
NASDTEC Forward Fund.

All donations are tax deductible, and a receipt is provided.

Join us for this engaging webinar to explore innovative approaches and emerging trends in alternative assessments aimed at supporting pathways to teacher licensure. The session will feature a discussion of multiple measures assessment trends and state-level options, using Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission as an example, along with an overview of standardized testing alternatives emerging nationwide. Attendees will gain valuable insights, practical options, and key information to support the exploration and implementation of alternative assessment strategies in their own states. Participants are encouraged to bring questions to foster a collaborative discussion and receive guidance on implementation efforts.

Registration for the 96th NASDTEC Annual Conference will open in early February. The conference will take place in Charlotte, NC, from June 15 - 17, 2025. Make plans now to attend!

"Effectively Engaging with the Media and the Public" is a critical area for education leaders. The training is designed to help you learn how to keep both groups engaged and get your message out. During this six module training, you will develop communication skills, templates for crisis situations and learn how to build relationships with the media.

The "Effectively Engaging with the Media and the Public" training provides an opportunity for organizations to support those individuals whose responsibilities include conducting public meetings, being the spokesperson during a crisis, or being interviewed by the media.

The six module training includes:

The minimum time it takes to complete the course is approximately 3.5 - 4 hours. There are no assessments checks but participants are offered suggestions on developing communication plans, crisis plans and interview guides. 

The successful completion of this course is based on completing all six modules. A final certificate is provided as documentation of completion and further documentation can be confirmed through NASDTEC.

The cost of this four-hour training is $98 for NASDTEC Members and $149 for non-members, payable online.

By the end of January 2025, nearly all state legislatures will have convened. For the few that begin their sessions in February or later, most are already prefiling bills. Notable legislative proposals currently under consideration include:

As legislative sessions unfold, hundreds of additional bills will be introduced. Stay tuned for a February webinar highlighting major bills across the four NASDTEC regions.

What's Going On...New Release

Join us for the next episode of the NASDTEC podcast What's Going On...being released January 21, 2025.

In this episode, Jason Swanson, the Senior Director of Strategic Foresight from KnowledgeWorks, talks about his work with exploring the future and what that may mean for education and educator preparation. Jason presented at the 2024 Annual Conference. NASDTEC members can view his presentation in the NASDTEC Encore Series. 

To subscribe to the What's Going On...podcast, simply search for NASDTEC in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

If your jurisdiction, district, EPP, or organization has a current initiative, new or ongoing, that you want to share with NASDTEC members, contact Jimmy Adams today.

The 2nd National Convening on Registered Apprenticeships in Teaching starts Wednesday, January 29th! We are sold out, but NASDTEC members will be able to view presentations from the Convening in the NASDTEC Encore Series a few weeks following the event. 

Not a member? Use the button below to learn about joining. 

4th National Educator Shortage Summit

The National Educator Shortage Summit is an interactive event that convenes focused groups of P-20 stakeholders to address the challenges of the national shortage of educators and the educator pipeline and share ways to replicate practices via a national strategy. Central to this conversation will be the use of data and collaboration in sharing promising practices. Above all we hope this Summit will start comprehensive conversations among the P-20 education community and serve as a place where different groups can pool different perspectives.

At the Summit, attendees will participate in interactive sessions, learn about how to implement promising practices and hear from fellow attendees about how they are addressing the educator shortage in their own districts and states. Below are examples of sessions at this year's event.

Ladders in Teacher Preparation: Supporting Retention and Recruitment through University Partnerships - Dive into an innovative collaboration with Urban Public Schools & UMass Dartmouth. The preparation program is delivering an integrated program targeting early career teachers. Participants of this presentation will hear how this program is impacting teacher retention, teacher growth and student learning.

Aspiring Young Educators: A Grow-Your-Own Teacher Education Program for Middle School Students - In this session, we will present the "Aspiring Young Educators" program, an innovative initiative aimed at inspiring and preparing middle school students for future careers in education. This "grow your own" teacher education pathway program fosters an early interest in teaching by providing students with hands-on experiences, mentorship and exposure to the teaching profession. Participants will gain insights into the program’s design, its impact on student engagement and the potential for expanding this model to address teacher shortages and promote diversity in the education workforce.

Jurisdictional Voting Members

Every five (5) years, NASDTEC Jurisdictional Voting Members are required to sign the Terms and Conditions of Participation in the NASDTEC Educator Identification Clearinghouse and the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement Acknowledgments.

On October 22, 2024, an email was sent to all jurisdictional voting members concerning these items and how to review and sign them. If you are the jurisdictional voting member for your jurisdiction and did not receive the email, please contact Jimmy Adams.

NASDTEC Mentoring Program Reboot!

I Want to Serve as a Mentor!

NASDTEC is bringing back the mentoring program! We are seeking experienced jurisdictional members to mentor new and incoming state directors. Matching will be based on geographic region, similarity of services, and jurisdictional characteristics/needs. Mentors will be provided with tools to guide their support of mentees. Click below if you are willing to lend your time and expertise as a mentor for at least one year.

I am a New State Director and I'd Like to have a Mentor!

Are you a new state director? Would you benefit from having a trusted, experienced colleague accessible to you during your transition into the role?

While the mentor-mentee relationship is informal, both parties should commit to meeting on a regular basis. When and how you meet will be established after matches are made and are jointly at the discretion of the mentor and mentee. Click below to be matched with an experienced NASDTEC mentor.

Thousands of Teachers Will Get a Retirement Boost. Here's How It Works

Ed Week | President Joe Biden on Jan. 5 signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, effectively boosting retirement benefits for hundreds of thousands of current and former K-12 educators nationwide. Bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate approved the bill late last year, following years of advocacy from teachers’ unions and retiree groups.

U.S. Finalizes New Rules for Distance Ed and College Prep Programs

IHE | Colleges will have to submit to the federal government new data on their distance education programs under a batch of new rules the Biden administration finalized Monday. The rules, which will take effect July 1, 2026, will likely be the president’s last package of new regulations for colleges and universities before Trump takes office Jan. 20. The new regulations carry out Biden’s plan to increase federal oversight of online programs, but...

AL Opens Program That Lets Parents Tap Money for Private School and Homeschooling

The Associated Press | Alabama lawmakers approved the program in March [2024]. The funds will be available to families for the 2025-2026 school year.

NCTQ New State Teacher
Policy Database

NCTQ | The NCTQ State Teacher Policy Database provides access to information on state policies, laws, and regulations that impact teacher quality—ranging from teacher preparation, licensing, and evaluation to compensation, teacher diversity, and hiring and assignment. This unique database brings together data and analysis from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This policy information is collected and updated on a regular basis, drawing from state laws, administrative code, Board of Education documents, and other public sources. State education agencies have the opportunity to review and provide feedback to all data and analysis prior to publication.

A Policymaker’s Guide to State Summative Assessment Systems

ECS | State summative assessment systems are a key part of understanding students’ academic needs and collecting data to identify inequities and opportunities for interventions. As many state leaders look to update their systems to better support schools and students, ECS has the information you need on federal assessment requirements and how states can leverage opportunities for innovation. In partnership with EdTrust, ECS' Policy Guide offers an overview of federal requirements, considerations for policymakers to increase the quality and function of assessments, and examples of innovative state approaches to flexibilities in federal policy. 

Webinar Series
Brown at 70: The Unfinished Journey Toward Educational Equity

LPI | More than 70 years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, the journey toward educational equity continues to be marked by both progress and challenges. What milestones have been reached? What lessons emerge from setbacks? And what strategies can advance opportunities for all students? Join prominent education and civil rights experts and contributors to a new book on this topic as they explore the historical, current, and future landscape of American education through the lens of Brown.

New Issue of NASBE's State Education Standard

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