This article highlights the perspectives of two future teachers of Color who participated in a Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher education program at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). The findings focus on what compelled them to apply and what encouraged them to remain in the program. By examining the experiences and challenges of future teachers of Color pursuing degrees through GYO programs, we gained insight into their views on the value of GYO programs and what support systems these future teachers utilized most to be successful. Implications suggest ways that other PWIs can retain and support future teachers of Color.

The field of teacher education has long studied successful strategies for supporting pre-service teachers’ development. However, mentoring practices have received less attention than the nature and impact of other elements (e.g., coursework or school-university partnerships). In this article, we share the results of our systematic review of the literature on mentoring pre-service teachers in clinical settings in the United States. Themes from the synthesis include terminology clarification; the importance of the mentor teacher; characteristics of effective mentors; and mentor teacher training. We offer suggestions for future research on mentor teachers and mentor teacher practices in hopes of informing policy and practices in clinically-based teacher education.

Practicing and preservice teachers are increasingly being introduced to the science of reading and the influence of research-based literacy instruction on student outcomes. A comprehensive understanding of foundational literacy skills is essential for effective literacy instruction. In this study, early childhood and elementary education majors were assessed on their abilities to apply word-level analysis skills, typical of those taught within English Language Arts (ELA), to content-area terms. Participants previously received instruction in phonological and semantic word analysis during their early literacy methods course. They were then asked to apply these skills to content-area terms, demonstrating how general literacy strategies can support learning across subject areas. Key findings indicate consistently high proficiency scores in phonological word analysis and semantic word analysis, while individual errors reflect a need for more instruction related to syllabication rules.

This applied study examined instructional, structural, and family engagement factors contributing to low mathematics achievement among students with disabilities and identified a coordinated school-based recommendation for improvement. The study used interviews with co- teachers, a focus group of instructional staff, and a parent survey (n = 50) to examine barriers to math achievement and identify evidence-based strategies. Findings revealed challenges in co-teaching implementation, insufficient planning time, variability in differentiation, and inconsistent use of math language and manipulatives. Parent data indicated uneven home math engagement shaped by socio-economic context. Based on the findings, the study recommends a school-based task force to develop a digital math hub with targeted instructional and family resources. Results highlight the importance of collaborative planning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and family-school partnerships in addressing inequities in special education mathematics outcomes.

Teacher shortages remain a critical issue in elementary and special education, with teachers of color significantly underrepresented despite evidence of their positive impact on student outcomes. This study asked the following questions: What factors impact recruitment and retention of teachers of color? How are new and veteran teachers experiencing these factors? Using a mixed-methods design, we completed a systematic literature review and conducted focus groups with recent graduates and veteran teachers. Findings from both indicated that, for teachers, including teachers of color, cultural expectations, financial barriers, and program design influence recruitment, and school climate, administrative support, and the "invisible tax" placed on teachers shape retention. Results inform strategies for sustaining a diverse teaching workforce in high-need areas.

This qualitative case study examined a critical, project-based clinical experience in a secondary education teacher preparation program, where university-based teacher educators, preservice teachers, and a school-based teacher educator collaborated to address authentic pedagogical challenges through a boundary-spanning partnership. Focusing on a week-long “problems of practice” project in a high school English language arts classroom, the study investigated essential skills and dispositions for mutually beneficial clinical experiences and explored tensions emerging during implementation. Findings revealed that effective boundary-spanning partnerships require participants to embrace discomfort and vulnerability while navigating institutional hierarchies. These insights inform teacher education programs seeking to design clinical experiences that equitably serve preservice teachers, mentor teachers, university faculty, and students.

In this article, I examine the first provision of the recently implemented Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) for two purposes: (a) to examine the Science of Reading (SoR) movement that is offered as support for the necessity for the legislation, and (b) to examine the assumption that teacher candidates in Virginia have not been demonstrating mastery of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction through coursework and examinations. Discussion includes consideration of some of the theoretical foundations for SoR and a brief history of the instructional implications relating to these theoretical perspectives about the learning to read process, including discussion of the SoR and research on phonemic awareness and phonics instruction. The article concludes on a personal note as I share my experience as a teacher educator in Virginia with the National Council of Teacher Quality review process.