Sixth Annual EdPrepLab Policy Summit

Clinically Rich, Future Ready: Building Sustainable Educator Preparation in a Volatile Era 

States across the country are working to strengthen their educator workforce amid persistent shortages, budget uncertainty, and shifting political priorities. This EdPrepLab Policy Summit explored how high-retention, clinically rich educator preparation programs can not only be implemented but sustained.

Drawing on research insights and perspectives from policymakers, practitioners, and national leaders, we examined what it takes to build financially stable, organizationally strong, and politically durable preparation systems that are aligned with research and ensure long-term impact. Participants learned how states are sustaining partnerships, funding structures, and data strategies—and how compelling storytelling and evidence can help keep attention on research-based solutions rather than short-term fixes. The webinar focused on how to secure lasting commitments to high-quality educator preparation that supports both teacher candidates and the communities they serve.

The EdPrepLab Policy Summit brings together leaders from across educator preparation, practice, and policy to explore pressing issues facing the field and elevate impactful policy solutions in states and in classrooms across the country.

Speakers

• Enrique Alemán, Jr., Lillian Radford Endowed Professor of Education & Director of the Center for Educational Leadership, Trinity University
• Jessica Blum-DeStefano, Director of Practice and Professional Learning, EdPrepLab
• Mónica Byrne-Jiménez, Executive Director, University Council for Educational Administration
• Linda Darling-Hammond, Chief Knowledge Officer, Learning Policy Institute
• Rebecca Hatkoff, Former Director of Teacher Education and Current Research Fellow, Claremont Graduate University
• Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, President and CEO, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
• Maria E. Hyler, Director, Washington, DC Office and Senior Researcher, Learning Policy Institute
• Josh Jones, Director of Educator Preparation Program Field Support & Operations, Texas Education Agency
• Ben Kutylo, CEO, Forward Arkansas
• Jennifer Robinson, Senior Researcher and Project Director, Learning Policy Institute
• Sharon Tomiko Santos, Representative, Washington State Legislature
• Ryan Saunders, Director of State Policy, Learning Policy Institute
• Elena Silva, President and CEO, Learning Policy Institute

Resources

• Developing Sustainable Teacher Residencies in Texas (brief)
• Developing Sustainable Teacher Residencies in Texas (brief)  
• Teacher Residencies in Texas: Supporting Successful Implementation (report) 
• Successful Teacher Residencies: What Matters and What Works (report) 
• Humanizing Teacher Preparation: Claremont Graduate University’s Teacher Residency (report) 
• State Approaches to Developing Educational Leaders (report) 
• Developing Deeper Learning Leaders (brief) 
• Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning at Montclair State University (research brief) 
• Possibilities Unbound (organization website) 
• State Level Efforts to Support School Leaders (policy report)  
• Paid Clinical Service for Novice Teachers (blog) 
• Addressing School Principal Preparation at the State Level (blog) 
• 50-State Comparison: Teacher Recruitment and Retention (50-State Comparison) 
• Pre-K-12 Education Legislation Database (database) 
• Teacher and Principal Policy Toolkit (toolkit) 
• Fourth Annual EdPrepLab Policy Summit (Thriving Leaders, Thriving Schools: Policies for Effective School Leader Preparation) 

EdPrepLab is an initiative of the Learning Policy Institute and Bank Street Graduate School of Education. It is supported by the Bezos Family Foundation, Skyline Foundation, W. Clement and Jessie V. Stone Foundation, XQ Institute, and Yidan Prize Foundation.