NCTR is excited to announce three new additions to our staff. Allegra Villareal, Aja Simpson Zulfigar, and Allyson Williams-Eubanks are all joining the NCTR team as Associate Directors on the program team. We look forward to getting opportunities to get to know our new staff over the coming months.
Allegra Villarreal was most recently the Director of Professional Development at Catch the Next, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the college graduation rates of Latinx students through a framework combining academic instruction, community mentorship, and holistic advising. She also taught composition and literature for 12 years at five colleges and most recently served as an Associate Professor of English at Austin Community College. She earned a joint honours undergraduate degree in International Relations and Middle East Studies from St. Andrews University in Scotland as well as a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Oxford University.
Aja Simpson Zulfiqar most recently she advised, taught, facilitated dialogues, created training and programming, and revamped curriculum with American University’s First Year Advising rebels. Prior to that, Aja directed and managed college access programs for first-generation, low-income BIPOC and other students marginalized by the U.S. education system. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Spanish from Emory University, a Master of Science in Psychology from Capella University, and Master of Art in Sociology - Race and Urban Relations and Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies from Georgia State University.
Allyson Williams-Eubanks brings years of experience as an educator, curriculum writer, content lead, and teacher trainer with a passion for issues of equity in education. Prior to joining NCTR, Allyson began her career as a high school Spanish teacher in Baltimore, MD. Allyson has worked in various roles in public school systems including the Manager of World Languages in DC Public Schools where she oversaw content teacher professional development, curriculum, special events, and advocacy programming for the District. Additionally, she worked as coach and skills instructor for two alternative teacher certification programs. She received her bachelor's degree in Spanish and criminal justice from University of Maryland, College Park and her master's degree in education from Johns Hopkins University.
Resources and Connections
Changes to TEACH Grant Program Announced
Last week, the US Department of Education announced changes to the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, the only federal student aid grant program that directly benefits teachers working in high-need fields and underserved schools. The agency implemented these changes as the Administration proposes further enhancements to the program through the American Families Plan, which would double the annual grant amount, increase program flexibilities, continue to address high grant-to-loan conversion rates, and ensure better outcomes for teachers and students.
The TEACH Grant Program provides grants up to $4,000 each year to students who are completing or plan to compete coursework needed to begin a teaching career. Unlike other federal student grants, it requires recipients to agree to complete four years of teaching in high-need fields and underserved schools as a condition for receiving the grant. For each year that a TEACH Grant is awarded, the recipient must complete online counseling that explains the grant’s terms and conditions and sign an agreement in which the recipient agrees to teach in a high-need field at a school or educational service agency that serves students from low-income backgrounds. If a recipient does not complete the required four years of teaching (i.e., the service obligation) or submit the required documentation eight years after graduating from or otherwise leaving the school where they received a TEACH Grant, the grant is converted into a loan, which must then be repaid in full, including interest accumulated from the disbursement date.
With the changes:
· TEACH Grant recipients will no longer have their grants converted to loans if they do not certify that they have begun teaching or intend to begin teaching within 120 days of graduating or withdrawing from school.
· TEACH Grant recipients will also no longer have to certify their intent to complete the service obligation each year no later than October 1.
· If TEACH Grant recipients do not submit their teaching certification at the end of each year of teaching, their grants are not converted to loans until they do not have enough time to complete the required four years of service within the eight year deadline, though recipients are still expected to submit annual certifications.
· The Department has expanded the reasons for which a TEACH Grant recipient’s obligation may be suspended for a period of time and may teach for less than a full school year but still receive credit for the full academic year.
· The Department has simplified requirements to enable TEACH Grant recipients to have their undergraduate and graduate service obligations grouped together, when possible.
· The required TEACH Grant Exit Counseling will inform recipients that the grant program servicer, FedLoan Servicing, will send detailed annual notifications to recipients that include requirements and timelines, documentation reminders, accrued interest estimates, and explanations about the reconversion process.
· The reconsideration process is open to all TEACH Grant recipients whose grants have converted to loans, and there is relief available for recipients whose TEACH Grants were converted to loans in error.
Also, the Department’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) office launched new and improved digital forms and resources to help inform and guide TEACH Grant recipients. The program changes are reflected on the TEACH Grant Program web page at StudentAid.gov/teach.
Final Priorities for TSL, SEED, and TQP Announced
The US Department of Education has released information on the final priorities for TSL, SEED, and TQP. You can see them here.
Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program Competition Announced
The purpose of TSL is to assist States, local educational agencies (LEAs), and nonprofit organizations to develop, implement, improve, or expand comprehensive Performance-Based Compensation Systems (PBCS) or Human Capital Management Systems (HCMS) for teachers, principals, and other School Leaders (educators) (especially for educators in High-Need Schools who raise student growth and academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students). In addition, a portion of TSL funds may be used to study the effectiveness, fairness, quality, consistency, and reliability of PBCS or HCMS for educators. The deadline to apply is August 13, 2021. You can access the full Federal Register announcement here.
Earlier this year, the Department distributed two-thirds of ARP ESSER funds, totaling $81 billion, to all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The remaining third is being made available to states once plans are approved. The approval of the seven state plans resulted in the release of nearly $6 billion in ARP ESSER funds. This follows the release of $12 billion in ARP ESSER funds to these jurisdictions.
Among the highlights of the approved state plans:
· Arkansas created an Arkansas Tutoring Corps that will develop a system to recruit, prepare, and support candidates to become qualified tutors who provide instruction or intervention for students to meet the academic needs of at-risk learners or those most impacted by lost instructional time.
· Massachusetts is helping fund Acceleration Academies this summer, allowing students to learn and build skills working intensively on one subject in small, hands-on environments with excellent teachers. (This will be a multi-year program impacting some 50,000 students statewide each year.)
· Rhode Island significantly expanded summer learning options through its All-Course Network platform, which provides free instruction to students on topics from Advanced Placement (AP) classes to animation courses.
· South Dakota is focusing on strategies designed to re-engage students that may have missed out on instruction and educational opportunities over the last year.
· Texas plans to offer high-dosage tutoring, high-quality instructional materials, and job-embedded professional learning to help address the academic impact of lost instructional time.
· Utah is funding evidence-based summer learning and after-school programming through a competitive grant process for school districts and community-based organizations supporting students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs.
· TheDistrict of Columbia’sOut of School Time grants enable community-based organizations to provide summer learning programs for students, designed to improve academic performance via evidence-based interventions.
A total of40 stateshave submitted their ARP ESSER state plans to the Department. Staff are reviewing the plans expeditiously and are in contact with states to ensure plans meet necessary requirements in order to access remaining funding. They are also in contact with states that have not yet submitted plans.
Funding Released for Youth with Disabilities
The US Department of Education released more than $3 billon in ARP funds to states to support infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities (state-by-state allocations). This new funding will help more than 7.9 million served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The agency also released a fact sheetdescribing how ARP IDEA funds may be used by states.
To help support the needs of students experiencing homelessness, the US Department of Education is inviting states to complete an applicationfor their share of the second disbursement of $800 million in ARP fundsunder the Homeless Children and Youth Fund. In April, the agency released the initial $200 million to states. This additional $600 million will be available to states and districts before the beginning of the 2021-22 school year (state-by-state allocations).
Secretary Cardona Asks for Assistance with COVID-19 Vaccinations and Summer Learning and Enrichment Activities
Dallas College is Hiring an Associate Dean of Educator Certification
Since 1965, Dallas College, formerly known as the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) has served more than three (3) million students. It is one of the largest community college systems in the state of Texas, which includes seven campus locations around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Dallas College is uniquely positioned to provide a robust portfolio of pathways into the teaching profession through the recently-created School of Education. Dallas College is the sole institution of higher education that operates high school dual credit pathways in the region. Dallas College recently became the first community college in Texas to receive approval to offer a bachelor’s in education and Dallas College also offers an alternative certification pathway to teaching.
Dallas College seeks a dynamic leader to play an important role in the development and implementation of thoughtful work-based learning opportunities and practice with PK-12 students throughout our education portfolio. This role will be responsible for:
Ensuring work-based learning opportunities and practice with PK-12 students are deeply embedded in each pathway;
Identifying and training school-based Mentors;
Providing training to faculty; and
Ensuring quality of work-based and practice opportunities through the identification and collection of key success metrics, and by supporting interactions with school system partners and faculty to support the continuous improvement of these work- and practice-based experiences
The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of PK-6 student standards and the high-quality curricular materials being used in Texas; experience training and coaching novice teachers and Mentor teachers; and the ability to strategically translate this knowledge and experience into the development and implementation of a cohesive and high-quality series of practice and work-based experiences for Dallas College students. You can access the posting here.
Menlo Park City School District is Hiring for Several Roles
Current or anticipated openings include Spanish Teacher, K-5 Teacher, Budget Analyst, and Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Other positions become available throughout the summer. Please refer all interested applicants to the EdJoin websitewhere MPCSD’s jobs are posted.
In the News
Unprecedented California Budget to Usher in Sweeping Education Changes
Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature have seized a once-in-a-generation deluge of state and federal funding to set in motion a sweeping and ambitious set of education programs that seemed implausible six months ago. The 2021-22 state budget, which Newsom signed late Monday, expands the state government’s commitment to meet the needs of all students and redefines what constitutes an equitable education for low-income kids in a state with rising inequality.
Last week, Newsom called the budget “unlike anything we have ever done in this state. So many things we’ve promoted, so many things we dreamed of, we’re delivering.” It contrasts sharply with the state budget passed a year ago, when Newsom and the Legislature cut spending in anticipation of a yearlong COVID-precipitated recession. The budget will provide billions of dollars to speed up movement on long-discussed goals: creating transitional kindergarten (TK) for all 4-year-olds and extending the school year and school day for all low-income elementary students. It includes enough funding to make a dent in — if not potentially eliminate — a teacher shortage through teacher residencies and other credentialing incentives.
Please note that the articles and events in the NCTR E-Blast do not reflect the opinions of our organization, but rather represent information that we believe will be relevant to you and your programs.
