Associate Dean of College of Educational Studies, Kimberly White Smith was nominated and selected as a member of American  Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Meetings and Professional Development Committee.

Woman smiling.


Dr. Kimberly White-Smith



AACTE is a national alliance of educator preparation programs dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are ready to teach all learners on Day 1. The members design and plan the annual meetings and professional development for the member colleges which includes the College of Educational Studies. The term of Dr. White-Smith’s service will run from March 1, 2016 through February 28, 2019. The charge of the Committee is to recommend professional development and technical assistance activities to strengthen member programs and build their capacity to prepare educators who can teach every child effectively. In order to fulfill this charge, the Committee will:

  • Assist in assessing the professional development and technical assistance needs of the membership

  • Identify themes and strands for the Annual Meeting, draft the Call for Proposals, and coordinate the proposal solicitation process

  • Verify the review process and ensure all reviews are completed

  • Recommend speakers for general sessions, major forums, and pre-conference workshops

  • Advise on topics and faculty for the New Deans Institute and the Leadership Institute for Department Chairs

  • Advise on new formats for delivery of professional development and technical assistance


Its over 800 member institutions represent public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. AACTE seeks to lead the field in advocacy and capacity building by promoting innovation and effective practices as critical to reforming educator preparation.

The Strategic Goals of AACTE are:

  • Accelerate meaningful improvement in educator preparation by promoting and supporting the adoption of high standards for accountability and assessment that are linked to PK-12 student outcomes. AACTE respects the diversity of preparation providers across the country but also recognizes the need to reach consensus on defining key components of high-quality preparation programs and meaningful measures of accountability and assessment for programs and candidates. Additionally, the Association must work more seriously toward bridging the gap between the higher education and non-higher education providers.

  • Lead the charge to secure state and federal policy that advances high-quality student learning through educator preparation and development. One of the key functions of AACTE is to advocate on behalf of its members and to develop their advocacy skills to strengthen federal and state policies on educator preparation. Preparation providers must be at the table as Congress, the presidential administration, and state policy makers deliberate on policies that impact the profession.

  • Launch and sustain system-wide initiatives to promote the diversity of the professional community and to prepare educators who can serve diverse learners. AACTE has an explicit commitment to increasing the diversity of the teaching workforce and the professoriate and to ensuring that candidates are ready to meet the needs of diverse learners.

  • Advance implementation of high-quality learning practices. As research and practice reveal more to the profession on what contributes to an effective preparation program, AACTE will leverage those findings through increasing members’ opportunities to understand and incorporate them into their own programs.


White-Smith was selected for appointment to the Committee due to her special expertise and contributions as an education professional. As a Committee member, she will have an opportunity to directly affect the work and goals of AACTE.

Congratulations Dr. Kimberly White-Smith on being chosen to serve on this Standing Committee!

Reference
http://aacte.org/