Welcome to PAC-TE

PAC-TE is a nonprofit professional association for all those in Pennsylvania who
are engaged in the preparation and development of professional educators. 

PAC-TE is dedicated to providing strong advocacy for professional educator
preparation within the Commonwealth. 

The purpose of PAC-TE as the voice for professional educator preparation in
Pennsylvania is to promote quality professional educator preparation programs and
to provide opportunity for individual professional growth for all persons in Pennsylvania
engaged in professional educator preparation.

PAC-TE Wins ATE Award

PAC-TE has been awarded the

Sikula Unit Development Award for Program Services
By ATE

What an honor to once again be recognized by our national affiliate!

THANK YOU to Tom Conway & Amy Rogers Sally Winterton & Jay Hertzog
For their work on authoring our application! You ROCK!

PAC-TE Executive Director Position

Dear PAC-TE members,

Our longtime colleague and friend, Dr. Jay Hertzog, has indicated that his current contract as the Executive Director of PAC-TE will be his last.  I am chairing a search committee comprised of several members of the PAC-TE Board of Directors.  Our task, of course, is to find Jay’s successor.  Clicking on this link will take you to the posting for the position in PDF format.  The search committee and I would very much appreciate it if you could share it as widely as possible and encourage anyone to apply who you believe would be a great Executive Director.

PAC-TE has a very strong voice in educator preparation in Pennsylvania.  Our Executive Director is an important reason why this is the case.  Please help us find someone to succeed Jay who can continue the work needed for us to remain strong.

Thank you very much.

George Drake
PAC-TE Past President and Search Committee Chair  

DATES TO KNOW/MARK YOUR CALENDARS

April 13, 2021 – PAC-TE Annual Spring Conference (virtual)
April 20, 2021 - Teacher Education Day (virtual)
October 27-29, 2021 - 50th Anniversary TEA (in-person and hybrid)

                                           Update on the Spring Conference

Beverly Bryde and Amy Eitzen, Chair and co-Chair of the 2021 Spring Conference, and their committee have noted that the 2021 Spring Conference will have the following theme:

HELP, We Need Somebody: The Charge to Recruit and Retain Diverse Teacher Candidates as a Matter of Equity in our Classrooms, Colleges, and Communities

The conference will begin at 8:45 AM on April 13th and go until 3:30 PM with the keynote speaker, Dr. Ron Whitaker from Cabrini University, getting things underway. His address is entitled: "HELP: The Charge to Prepare Our Teacher Candidates to Serve Diverse Students" where "HELP" is an acronym for History, Equity, Love (Belonging), and Pedagogy (Practice). Following his address, Dr. Whitaker will be joined by an expert panel of school district and Pennsylvania Department of Education leaders, faculty who focus on equity, and an in-service teacher to provide practical expertise on how equity and culturally responsive practices can be employed in classrooms and schools. After the keynote and panel discussion, the conference continues with three one-hour break-out times each containing four sessions from which to choose (session topics will be available, as well as the conference program, in the near future -- WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!). The conference concludes with our annual spring conference PDE Update and drawing for prizes.

Please note: As is the case for many of the PAC-TE spring conferences, session presentations are by invitation only -- there is no call for proposals.

Also, during the January Board of Directors' meeting, it was decided that the 2021 spring conference will be held virtually (not an in-person event) using the same platform (Whova) that was used for the fall 49th Teacher Educator Assembly (TEA). The Board set the registration fees for the spring conference as follows:

Early Bird Registration (members only) -- $50 (mid-February until April 1st)
Regular Registration (members only) -- $75 (April 1st until April 13th)
Non-member Registration -- $100 (no Early Bird for non-members)
Student Registration -- $50

Additional information will be forthcoming so
STAY TUNED!!!!

WATCH FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION
IN THE FEBRUARY UPDATE!!!

 
PA Teacher Educator Now Available

The PAC-TE Journal (a peer-reviewed publication) is now available (including back issues).  Please click here for access.

PAC-TE Strategic Plan

The Board of Directors of PAC-TE approved a new strategic plan in 2020.  PAC-TE's Strategic Plan is organized around four major areas: Administration, Membership Expansion, Membership Engagement,and Advocacy.

 
      PAC-TE is a state unit of AACTE and ATE
 

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE SUBMITS CHAPTER 49
STATEMENT TO PDE and INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSFER STUDENTS

 

Shortly after returning from the holidays, PAC-TE's Government Relations Committee (GRC) was informed that changes were being proposed to Chapter 49 of the Pennsylvania School Code and the Committee was asked to submit comments. The Committee went into overdrive, drafted a statement, sent it through PAC-TE's Board of Directors for approval, and submitted it in time for consideration. The GRC's suggestions and recommendations can be found by clicking here.

Another item that drew the attention of the GRC centered on transfer students and the new law that was being implemented regarding these students. Chair John Ward got in touch with Debra Heath-Thornton, Director of the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality, who provided the following information (click here).

 

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE UPDATE
ON SENATE BILL 1216

SB 1216 was signed into law and is known as ACT 136.  The bill includes many important provisions for teacher education.  The legislation gives the Secretary of Education the ability to:

  • Continue approving Pk-8 and 7-12 Special Education certifications for teacher candidates who are continuously enrolled and started their programs prior to December 31, 2021
  • Waive basic skills testing through June 30, 2021 (please see note below)
  • Issue temporary provisional certificates to program completers who meet all requirements except the satisfactory completion of the assessments required pursuant to 22 Pa Code 49.18© because the assessments were
    canceled or could not be scheduled

It is very important to understand that this does not mean that basic skills testing requirements have been waived or that provisional certification will not be implemented.  The bill gives the Secretary of Education the ability to enact these as needed.  It will be important to look for PDE updates on how the legislation will be implemented.

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TEACHER EDUCATION DAY

SET FOR APRIL 20TH

The Government Relations Committee (GRC) has set April 20th for our annual "Day on the Hill" (known as Teacher Education Day -- TED) in Harrisburg. This year TED will be held virtually.  Details have not been finalized; however, hopefully, our colleagues and teacher prep students from across the Commonwealth will be able to join in. Potential speakers include folks from PDE, reps from PSEA and AFT, Pennsylvania's Teacher-of-the-Year, and members of the Legislature's House and Senate Education Committees just to name a few. TED is a “no charge” event, but registration will be required to access the link.  Additional information will be in the February Update.