Steering Literacy Preparation Conversations Through Transformative Waters

Ahlam Bazzi, Christine Lancaster, Karen Carman, Becca Couch, Danielle DeFauw, Becky Mann, 

Deb Van Duinen, & Karen Young

Session Description: 

Sea farers of the IHE Literacy Collaborative have been navigating transformative waters and creating assessments that inform the development of teacher candidates’ proficiency in literacy and dyslexia requirements. Join the conversations, check out the samples, and reel in your catch for the day: a set of assessments to bring to shore! 

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Colleagues will preview, discuss, and gain access to various assessment exemplars for different stages of the Literacy & Dyslexia Statute (PA147) course of study timeline. 

2. Colleagues will reflect on approaches for arriving at balanced assessment system for PK-12 Literacy Preparation Continuum

Recognizing Size as a Strategic Strength

Barbara Baird-Pauli and Luman Strong

Session Description: 

Session Theme: Small by Design. Strong by Choice.

This session reframes institutional size as a strategic advantage rather than a limitation. Participants will discover how being smaller can drive deeper relationships, faster innovation, stronger mission alignment, and greater agility. You’ll gain practical strategies to amplify impact through collaboration, sustain continuous growth, and confidently position your size as a powerful value proposition.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. How to leverage collaboration, partnerships, and institutional knowledge for continuous improvement. and 

2.  How to capture the strength of institution size and all stakeholders, with a focus on growth and continuous improvement. 

Advancing Education Through Advocacy: AACTE, MACTE, and You 

Anne Tapp Jaksa, Marcia Fetters, & Sean Kottke 

Session Description: 

This session explores how educator preparation programs and higher education leaders can engage effectively in advocacy at the federal, national, and state levels. Presenters will provide an update on the federal policy landscape and AACTE’s advocacy priorities, examine national trends affecting academic freedom, and highlight Michigan-specific policy developments and MACTE advocacy wins. Through concrete examples, participants will gain a clearer understanding of how policy decisions impact educator preparation and how individuals and institutions can play an active role in shaping them.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Explain key federal and national policy trends affecting educator preparation, including AACTE’s current advocacy priorities and strategies.

2.  Analyze national and Michigan-specific policy developments related to academic freedom and educator preparation, using recent legislative examples as case studies.

3. Identify concrete ways to engage in advocacy through AACTE, MACTE, and related efforts at the state and federal levels.

Strengthening the Hull: How the EPP and CAEP Work Together for Continuous Improvement

Beth Kubitskey and Alissa Thelen

Session Description: 

 Accreditation is often experienced as a high-stakes compliance event—but for experienced educator preparation providers, it offers far more value. This session reframes accreditation as a structured external peer review that provides critical feedback to strengthen programs over time. Using an engaging “ship navigation” metaphor, participants will explore how to move beyond episodic preparation toward sustained, evidence-based continuous improvement across the full 7-year cycle. Through interactive activities and peer dialogue, attendees will identify practical strategies to leverage accreditation feedback, data systems, and stakeholder input to make meaningful, ongoing program enhancements—well before the next review.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Evaluate the extent to which their current accreditation practices support continuous improvement rather than episodic compliance. 

2. Apply a systems-based “ship navigation” framework to identify strengths, gaps, and risks within their educator preparation program. 

3. Develop one actionable strategy that leverages accreditation as an external peer review process that informs continuous improvement, rather than merely as a compliance-driven event.

From Data Dump to Decision: Sustainable Continuous Improvement for Small(er) EPPs

Eric Dickens

Session Description: 

Many small and mid-sized EPPs struggle to translate assessment data (that can be at times not enough, and at other times, more than what is needed) into meaningful continuous improvement efforts. This session presents a practical approach that begins with faculty-identified problems of practice and uses targeted key assessment data to support focused, sustainable data-driven decision making. Participants will discuss lessons learned from re-envisioning assessment conversations around problems of practice rather than broad data review. The session will highlight facilitation moves and decision-making routines that help small programs focus their evidence use and generate actionable (and documentable!) improvement steps. Attendees will leave with practical ideas they can adapt to strengthen continuous improvement efforts within their own programs.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1.  Apply facilitation strategies that center problems of practice in program assessment discussions

2. Generate and document smaller-scale, sustainable actions that support continuous improvement expectations 

Rooted in Rural: Strengthening Educator Pathways Through MiCAREER 

Kathryn Dirkin and Mindy Keck  

Session Description: 

MiCAREER is a grant-funded initiative supported by the Michigan Department of Education. In this session, participants will learn how MiCAREER supports the credentialing of teachers in rural districts across the state. They will also explore the unique challenges and strengths of rural districts that influence recruitment, retention, and credential attainment. Finally, participants will engage in breakout discussions focused on developing advocacy strategies that reflect and respond to the distinct context of rural education.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1.  Participants will identify approaches and strategies to support the recruitment and retention of educators that take into account the needs of rural districts.

2. Participants will identify advocacy approaches that acknowledge the experiences of rural districts. 

From Compliance to Excellence: Setting Sail with Quality Assurance 

Barbara Baird-Pauli & Luman Strong 

Session Description: 

Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the difference between producing documents and fostering authentic institutional growth, shifting from box-checking to an ongoing, meaningful cycle of change. 

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Learning Outcomes include an increased understanding of the process of developing a Quality Assurance System, starting from ground 0, and the importance and value and how to include stakeholders in the development of the Quality Assurance System. 

Preview Lower and Upper Elementary Content Preparation Materials by Pearson 

Bridgett McDowell & Nancy Hahn 

Session Description: 

Need help supporting candidates who need a stronger start to understanding core content in their program and assessed on their MTTCs? MDE and Pearson are developing Right Start, a subscription-based learning platform which offers diagnostic tools, learning modules, and additional practice. This session will describe what Right Start is, what it isn’t, and how EPPs can get involved in the review process, ensuring materials are accurate and appropriate for candidates needing a boost to their start.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Understand what Right Start can and cannot do for their candidates.

2. Explore draft Right Start materials for PK-3 and 3-6.

3. Learn about opportunities to shape the direction of Right Start, including involvement in the review process of materials.

MACTE’s Role in Advancing MI Educator Preparation: 

A Town Hall Meeting

Marcia Fetters, Beth Kubitskey, Anne Tapp Jaksa, Jillian Davidson

Session Description: 

The Michigan Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) serves as Michigan’s state affiliate of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), the nation’s leading voice for educator preparation. In a time of shifting policies, workforce challenges, and increasing demands on educator preparation programs, collaboration and shared advocacy are more important than ever. MACTE brings together teacher educators, state agencies, and professional organizations to strengthen communication, build partnerships, and advance policies that support high-quality teacher preparation and professional learning for educators across Michigan. By working collectively, members help ensure strong preparation pathways that ultimately benefit all PK–12 students. 

Session Learning Outcomes: 

From Surviving to Thriving: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from SSR Submission to Site Visit

Amy Schelling, Alex Jacobsson, Kym Pawelka, Ben Sobczak, & Sacia Gilbertson

Session Description: 

Discover how one educator preparation program uses the CAEP accreditation process as a catalyst for meaningful program improvement and faculty collaboration. In this session, we'll share our journey to successful accreditation, revealing the unexpected challenges that tested us, the data collection strategies that saved us, and the mindset shifts that transformed us. Participants will learn practical approaches for organizing evidence efficiently, preparing faculty and other stakeholders for the site visit with confidence, and building sustained momentum when the finish line feels far away. Whether you're just beginning your self-study or deep in the throes of preparation, you'll leave with actionable strategies to thrive through the accreditation process.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Understand one EPPs experience with what worked well and the unexpected challenges that arose and how the EPP overcame them.

2.  Learn and discuss best practices related to data collection and organization, evidence compilation and documentation approaches, and how to prepare faculty and other stakeholders for the site visit.

3. Discuss ways to reframe accreditation from a burden to an opportunity for improvement and ways to build momentum and morale throughout the accreditation process

Anchored in Planning: Avoid Building the Ship as You Sail 

Karen Young 

Session Description: 

This presentation explores how Marsal Family School of Education designed their new advanced program with continuous improvement at the center. Rather than “building the ship as you sail,” I’ll highlight best practices for designing with intention focusing on continuous improvement cycles, and leveraging data-driven blueprints that anchor processes. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to move from reactive fixes to intentional, sustainable quality assurance systems ensuring calm waters and smooth sailing whether reviewing program effectiveness or preparing for an accreditation visit.

Session Learning Outcomes: 

1. Identify best practices for intentional planning and data-driven processes in educational program development.

2. Apply strategies to build sustainable quality assurance systems for program effectiveness and accreditation.