The purpose of the Ohio Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (OACTE) is to stimulate improvement in the 51 one public and private teacher education programs in Ohio.  As an affiliate of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), we support its mission: To promote the learning of all PK-12 students through high-quality, evidence-based preparation and continuing education for all school personnel.

As members of AACTE, we are active in setting a national agenda, setting positions on national issues, and piloting practices in teacher education that can be shared with other institutions.  For example, Ohio has been selected by AACTE to pilot a student teacher performance assessment which has been developed in conjunction with California and ETS.  The pilots are being conducted at The Ohio State University, The University of Dayton, Wright State University, and the University of Cincinnati.    

OACTE sponsored the first Day on the Square in Columbus in March 2009.  Our goal was to provide an opportunity for teacher educators to meet with their State congressmen and senators to discuss issues of importance to teacher education in Ohio.  The Day on the Square is modeled after the Day on the Hill sponsored each year by AACTE. 

OACTE meets twice a year at the annual Ohio Confederation of Colleges of Teacher Education (OCTEO) Conference.  The conference gives us an opportunity to share research, best practice, and ideas about collaborating to ensure that we serve all PK-12 learners in Ohio.

Sincerely,

 

Joanne Arhar, Ed.D.

President, OACTE

Professor and Associate Dean

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Kent State University