Last Call for Early Bird Registration Discount |
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The symposium will convene on the virtual Whova platform March 22-24. Whether you sign up this week with the Early Bird rates or later at the regular price, AAQEP members always receive a discount, and groups of 6 or more from the same organization or institution save another 20%.
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As of fall 2021, AAQEP continues to operate almost entirely online due to the ongoing unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful to our members, partners, and volunteers for their remarkable resilience and ingenuity.
To facilitate advance planning while protecting individuals’ safety and ability to participate, AAQEP will continue to conduct site visits fully online through at least spring 2022. A decision about fall 2022 will be announced in March. Thank you to each hosting program and to the dedicated reviewers who continue to adjust to and improve the virtual format!
Where in-person meetings are resuming, AAQEP staff are now engaging in some travel. We have begun participating in live conferences and state meetings, and we are arranging on-campus workshops and consultations on request. Meanwhile, we continue to serve and support your work virtually through monthly cohort meetings, online workshops, and webinar series, and the 2022 Quality Assurance Symposium will convene entirely online in March.
If you are writing a Quality Assurance Report, please contact your AAQEP liaison for guidance on documenting the impacts of pandemic-related disruptions to program operations and data collection.
We look forward to easing back into in-person collaboration as it becomes safe to do so.
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It's Annual Report Time - File by Dec. 31 |
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A note from Sungti Hsu, Chief Relationship Officer
Thanks to all who've already completed the 2021 AAQEP Annual Report and "cover sheet" survey! The report is open for filing now through the end of December. All pertinent materials are available on AAQEP’s Member Resources web page.
AAQEP staff held a webinar earlier this month (see recording) to walk through the report's sections. Some of you raised important questions during the webinar or in recent cohort meetings that warrant additional guidance; these questions and staff responses can be found here and on the Member Resources page.
Only the primary contact for your program’s AAQEP membership needs to respond to the report and/or its cover sheet/survey. The full report is required for programs that were accredited before January 1, 2021, but all member programs are asked to complete the brief online survey that also serves as a cover sheet for submitting the full report. (All members are also encouraged to complete the full report if they wish!)
The AAQEP Annual Report is an ongoing component of the quality assurance cycle. In addition to keeping AAQEP informed, it aims to support your own continuous improvement efforts and the development of your next Quality Assurance Report.
Like last year, the 2021 filing materials include three components:
- Cover sheet / brief survey
- Template
- Guidance (plus new FAQs)
Please note that the template contains only minimal instructions, as it’s meant to be posted publicly once completed, so be sure to read the new FAQs and consult the guidance document as you fill out the template.
All survey responses and completed Annual Reports are due by December 31, 2021. Please contact me with any questions at s.hsu@aaqep.org.
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Congratulations to Teach Away |
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Please join us in congratulating Teach Away on earning full AAQEP accreditation of its Teacher Certification Program in Hawaii! The Accreditation Commission issued the decision at its October 8 meeting.
In total, 44 providers now have AAQEP-accredited programs. Another 13 providers are completing their quality assurance reviews this fall/winter. Kudos to all!
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A note from Sara Hiller, Director of Accreditation Services
If you have a site visit in spring 2022, fall 2022, or spring 2023, you should consider attending AAQEP’s Site Visit Essentials webinar. We’ll hold it February 2 to review important information about planning your site visit. While your logistics call focuses on specific details for your own review, the webinar goes over timelines and expectations that apply to all visits. We’ll be holding this webinar once each semester and recommend that everyone with visits in the next 18 months or so attend.
Here’s a quick overview of where the action is in the current AAQEP accreditation cycles:
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Fall 2021 (14 providers): One accreditation decision meeting has been completed, and the remaining reviews are in progress. To see the Accreditation Commission’s action record, click here.
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Spring 2022 (17 providers): The first spring reviews have started! If you're hosting a review and I have not contacted you already to confirm your Quality Review Team, I will do so soon. Friendly reminder: Quality Assurance Reports and local practitioner selection are due 6 months before your scheduled visit date.
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Fall 2022 (21 providers): I have emailed everyone to start the process to choose site visit dates. If you have not filled out the date request form already, please do so as soon as possible.
For an overview of the AAQEP accreditation timeline and other member resources, visit this web page. If you have any questions about the next step in your review, contact me at s.hiller@aaqep.org.
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Please give a warm welcome to our newest members joining AAQEP this fall:
- College of Southern Idaho
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Framingham State University (MA)
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Saint Elizabeth University (NJ)
We’re also delighted to welcome our newest state member, the New York State Education Department, which signed an official memorandum of agreement with AAQEP last month.
AAQEP now has 10 state members and 165 EPP members in 27 states and territories. See our searchable member directory for more information.
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Making the Case for Quality
online workshops
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Planning or drafting your self-study? Just getting started with AAQEP? This workshop lays the foundation for all of your work! Join us for an intensive introduction to the AAQEP standards and evidence expectations. |
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Next dates: January 26-27
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Giving Thanks: Notes From a Site Visit |
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A note from Mark LaCelle-Peterson, President and CEO
Did you know that AAQEP staff liaisons are assigned to serve as proposal reviewers or site visitors each semester? Taking on active roles on a regular basis helps us stay in touch with the actual work of accreditation, see how our system is functioning, and—my favorite part—renew our excitement for the profession's future by talking with program candidates and recent completers.
Having both reviewed a proposal and served on a site visit team this month, and perhaps in anticipation of next week's holiday, I'm inspired to share a few observations and words of gratitude:
- I'm hardly the only one who finds the high points of any site visit to be the meetings with candidates and alumni. Their clear commitment to kids, families, and the work of teaching, despite the many challenges facing schools and educators, inspires us all. Their enthusiasm is something to celebrate!
- It's also wonderful to see the depth and fruitfulness of collaboration between programs and their P-12 partners. Schools' support for both candidates and programs is matched by providers' responsiveness to local needs of teachers and schools as everyone works their way through the shifting late-COVID times.
- Program faculty members’ creativity and collaboration provide more academic inspiration. I enjoy learning about their ongoing development of program features to better prepare educators and their creation and adaptation of inquiry methods to understand and improve programs.
- The thoughtful and generative discourse among reviewers for both proposals and site visits is a gratifying reminder of the power of participating in peer review. A system that taps a variety of professional perspectives and expertise delivers rich benefits, not only to the programs being reviewed but also to the participants themselves.
On behalf of the AAQEP staff, I thank you for your contributions to the profession and for your ongoing work in supporting educators, students, and learning communities. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
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A note from Christine DeGregory, Director of Professional Learning
Are you preparing for a site visit in the fall of 2022 or beyond and curious about how review teams carry out their work?
Have you already hosted an AAQEP site visit and are looking for ways to give back to the profession?
Do you enjoy learning about how your colleagues from across the country approach their work?
Are you looking to expand your professional network?
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If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I invite you to apply to serve as an AAQEP Quality Review Team member! Our application process is quick and easy, and all preparation takes place online at your convenience.
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Thank you for your Board nominations!
The AAQEP Nominating Committee received a stellar set of nominations this fall to consider for appointment to the Board of Directors in 2022. The Committee is now finalizing a slate to recommend to the Board for election in December. Our thanks go to all who submitted nominations! Stay tuned for the results in our next newsletter.
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ICYMI: Recent AAQEP Updates |
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This Member Update e-newsletter comes out every other month. If you've missed one recently, you can catch up through these links:
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PK-12 Educator Supply & Demand Survey |
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The American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE) seeks EPPs to participate in a 15-minute survey by January 31, 2022. Participating organizations will receive a free digital copy of the resulting report in spring 2022, providing regional and national insights and trends in PK-12 educator supply and demand. Visit https://aaee.org/educator-supply-and-demand for details.
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Questions? Suggestions? Please reach out at any time to your AAQEP liaison or contact Karen Lowenstein, director of member services, at k.lowenstein@aaqep.org.
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AAQEP — Always improving together |
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