Dear UCEA,
By now you have seen the latest executive order abolishing the Department of Education (ED). As I said in our press release last week, “ED plays many vital, statute-protected roles in school communities and postsecondary education” that “are essential to ensuring the future of preK-20 public education across the country.”
I urge you to reach out to your representatives – both state and federal – in support of the vital role ED plays in P-20 education, from anti-poverty programs to student aid for higher education to oversight of educational data. To find your elected officials go to usa.gov and enter your address. There you will find mailing address, phone number, and email info. See our press release and the AERA NCES request for talking points to share with your representatives.
Regardless of what may come, we will continue to do the work of high-quality leadership preparation, impactful research, and policy advocacy on issues that affect the school communities, educational leaders, and leadership faculty who we serve.
To that end, in this month’s Spotlight I am proud to share two UCEA firsts! Our 2024 Annual Review and our Executive Action Policy Tracker. The Annual Report highlights milestones from last year including faculty awards, Convention, our Equity Self Study, and more. The Policy Tracker is an index of all executive actions impacting education that have taken place since January and includes information on their status, as well as news and commentary.
I am also happy to share the 2025 Convention Theme, “Fostering Leadership Resilience Through Collaboration and Community/Fomentando la Resiliencia de Liderazgo a través de Colaboración y Comunidad.” I am grateful of the work of the Convention Planning Committee for developing a theme grounded in the historic strength and empowering practices in the comunidades of Puerto Rico. In another new initiative, the Executive Committee will be hosting three “community building” sessions to bring UCEA members together and foster continued engagement. These sessions on March 31, April 8, and May 1 require member login and registration in advance and will be capped. If you are interested, be sure to register right away.
Lastly, our graduate student and social gatherings for #UCEAatAERA in April are in full force. Our Clark and Jackson Scholars and mentors will be active on April 22 and 23, respectively. Immediately after the Division A and L Business meetings, Thursday, April 24 at 7:15 in the Colorado Convention Center, we will be co-hosting the Joint Reception with Divisions A and L, and SAGE Publishers. I am looking forward to seeing you all there!
Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or ideas of how UCEA can strengthen its efforts.
Adelante UCEA, |
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Mónica Byrne-Jiménez UCEA Executive Director |
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| UCEA25 Call for Proposals |
The 39th Annual UCEA Convention will be held November 19-22, 2025 at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The purpose of the 2025 UCEA Convention is to engage participants in discussions about research, policy, practice, and preparation in the field of education with a specific focus on educational leadership.
Members of the 2025 Convention Planning Committee include Shelby Cosner (University of Georgia), Kaneshia Dorsan (University of Georgia), Osly Flores (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Hans Klar (Clemson Univeristy), and Patricia Virella (Montclair State University).
The 39th Annual UCEA Convention theme, Fostering Leadership Resilience Through Collaboration and Community or Fomentando la Resiliencia de Liderazgo a través de Colaboración y Comunidad, is an opportunity to share your research and network with your peers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Click the link to read the entire 2025 UCEA Call for Proposals, submission details and session types. Proposal submissions in All Academic will open on March 26, 2025 and will close on May 14, 2025. See you in Puerto Rico! |
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Community Building Sessions |
In the Executive Committee (EC) statement to the community on February 28th, Dr. Beard reaffirmed UCEA’s commitment to our core values and to supporting all members – faculty and graduate students alike. In alignment with this commitment, the EC is launching new opportunities for member feedback and increasing touch points to foster deeper engagement. These upcoming sessions are designed for you. There is no formal agenda – we simply want to hear what’s on your mind and explore how we can best support you moving forward.
Please note: Space is limited for each webinar date, and there is no cost to attend. Join us for one or more of the following webinars (all times EST): - March 31, 2025 – 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
- April 8, 2025 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- May 1, 2025 – 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
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| The UCEA Annual Report showcases our achievements, highlights initiatives, and underscores our commitment to strengthening our community.
This report offers an overview of our Convention, signature programs, research activities, and faculty accomplishments. We invite you to explore the highlights of this year’s report, celebrate our collective successes, and join us as we work toward achieving our vision to transform schools and school communities to create equitable, ethical, and socially just outcomes for each child. |
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(NEW!) UCEA’s Education Executive Action Tracker |
Having a hard time keeping up with the flurry of federal executive actions? Check out UCEA’s brand-new Education Executive Action Tracker. Covering everything from executive orders to agency actions to key personnel appointments, this searchable tool lays out key information for scores of education-related executive actions since Inauguration Day. Find primary sources, detailed descriptions, analysis, legal challenges, and more. We’ll be updating this weekly, so check back frequently to stay up-to-date.
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2025 Graduate Student Summit |
The UCEA Graduate Student Council is preparing the upcoming Graduate Student Summit’s call for proposals and hoping to gather feedback on student programming and supports. Graduate students, watch your email over the next month for these opportunities! |
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We look forward to engaging with many graduate students at the upcoming American Educational Research Association conference in Denver. In particular, following the Division A and L business meetings on Thursday, April 24, there is joint reception with those Divisions, the Politics of Education and Sociology of Education SIGs, SAGE, and UCEA starting at 9:05pm in Room 605 of the Colorado Reception Center. We hope to see you there! |
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Researcher Development Program Hosts Two Engaging Webinars in Collaboration with AERA Leadership for School Improvement - SIG. |
We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended and, most importantly, to our outstanding facilitators for their time and expertise. Here’s a quick recap of both sessions:
On February 7, the webinar “Navigating Authorship” delved into the complexities of authorship in academic research, exploring best practices, ethical considerations, and strategies for effective collaboration. Panelists Dr. Kristy Cooper Stein (Michigan State University), Dr. Alison Wilson (University of Houston), and Dr. Christine Nganga (George Washington University) provided valuable insights on navigating authorship dynamics and ensuring equitable credit in scholarly work. With over thirty participants, the session emphasized the importance of clear communication and fairness in collaborative research environments.
On March 13, the webinar “Exploring Public Open Education Data and Code using FAIR Data Frameworks in Education” focused on the transformative potential of public open education data and code. Led by Dr. Alex J. Bowers (Teachers College, Columbia University), the session introduced the FAIR principles—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable—and their role in fostering transparency, collaboration, and impact in educational research and policy. This webinar, which drew 52 registrants, marked the first installment in a new miniseries aimed at promoting inclusive collaboration through open-access resources and data-driven decision-making.
Stay tuned for future opportunities to engage with the Researcher Development Program as we continue to support professional growth and equitable research practices. |
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UCEA proudly hosts three of the leading journals in educational leadership and administration. Founded in 1965, Educational Administration Quarterly continues to shape the field in meaningful and substantive ways through the innovative, diverse, and increasingly global voices published there. Since 1998 the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership has provided the field with real-life problems in PK-12 for faculty and students to learn from together. In 2006 the Journal of Research on Leadership Education focuses clearly on strengthening leadership preparation through research into teaching, learning, and impact on leader practice.
Click on the journals button to go to the website for individual journal access. |
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Hiring Department:The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) within The University of Missouri (MU) College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)Job Description:The University of Missouri (MU) College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) is dynamically growing and changing. We are searching for individuals to join our team who share our commitment to teaching excellence, exceptional service to students, and continuous quality improvement in an environment of civility and respect.
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University of Alaska Anchorage |
We are seeking a dynamic educator to join our team and teach courses in Educational Leadership, both online and on-campus. The ideal candidate will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, a deep understanding of contemporary curricular content, and a passion for actively engaging with students and prospective students. A commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in teaching and mentoring is essential. |
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Florida Atlantic University, |
The Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology at Florida Atlantic University, the College of Education invites applications for a full-time Assistant Professor tenure-track position in the School Leaders program. Successful candidates are expected to have a focused research agenda and teach graduate-level classes. Also, candidates are expected to serve as professional knowledge experts and methodologists on Ph.D. dissertation committees and in other service assignments as assigned.
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Position SummaryPosition Summary The Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama invites applications for an Associate/Full Professor of Higher Education Administration, with a specialization in quantitative modeling in the economics of education, at either the higher education or K-20 levels.Detailed Position InformationThe Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama invites applications for an Associate/Full Professor of Higher Education Administration, with a specialization in quantitative modeling in the economics of education, at either the higher education or K-20 levels.
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| Tapping Available Talent: Interdisciplinary collaboration for program improvement.
Effective education for all learners, particularly students with disabilities, requires understanding the individual and collective strengths and needs of the school community. Educators who do this well, respect and tap into the available talent and create synergy to meet the needs of students and all they bring to the classroom. Presenters will discuss their work as teacher and leader educators who are committed to collaboration and preparing educators who bring different perspectives and skills to K-12 schools.
Panelists: Mildred Boveda (The Pennsylvania State University), Federico R. Waitoller (University of Illinois at Chicago). Irene H. Yoon (The University of Utah). |
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