鶹ý’s delegation included Dr. Eric Pani, vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Sandra Lemoine, dean of the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences; Dr. Michael Camille, associate dean of the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences; Dr. Dorothy Schween, director of the School of Education; and Dr. Brooke Keels, assessment coordinator for the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences.
The 鶹ý representatives visited with Senator Mary Landrieu, Senator David Vitter, Congressman Vance McAllister, and other state representatives to share highlights of 鶹ý programs and to discuss relevant upcoming legislation.
“AACTE’s Day on the Hill provided our 鶹ý delegation with a wonderful opportunity to speak with Senators Landrieu and Vitter and Congressman McAllister about key federal legislative proposals that impact educator preparation,” said Lemoine.
“We also had the opportunity to showcase 鶹ý’s excellence and the good work the School of Education is doing to prepare school personnel who serve our region and beyond.”
According to ACCTE, “Day on the Hill” provides AACTE members an opportunity to meet with their representatives as well as the latest information on education policy from Capitol Hill.
The event includes training and resources for members to conduct meetings with congressional offices, where they can showcase their successful programs and advocate for relevant legislation or funding.
“During this visit, we were able to raise awareness of the stellar performances of our graduates, and to highlight the positive impact our programs have on education Northeast Louisiana,” said Schween.
Keels said, “This was a great opportunity to share with our Senators and Congressman that teacher education is a priority for 鶹ý. It was interesting to see that the same issues being dealt with at our university are the same issues that appear to be a priority for our legislature.”
About AACTE:
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are ready to teach all learners on day one.
Its over 800 member institutions represent public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. AACTE seeks to lead the field in advocacy and capacity building by promoting innovation and effective practices as critical to reforming educator preparation.