NASDTEC Podcasts

In this episode, Krista Ried, the NASDTEC Vice President and chair of the Annual Conference Planning Committee joins Susan Pinson, the NASTDEC Professional Learning Coordinator, and Aimee Green-Webb, the Development Coordinator for NASDTEC, to give an overview of what we can expect at NASDTEC’s 97th Annual Conference coming this June in Indianapolis, IN. 

In this, the 3rd part of a three part series on teacher hiring, Dan Goldhaber, the Director of the Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data and Education Research (CALDER), which is joint project with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), discusses his research with the Spokane school district concerning vetting of teacher candidates. A summary of this research can be found at https://caldercenter.org/sites/default/files/2025-05/CALDER-Brief-38-0525_0.pdf. 

In this 2nd part of a three episode series, Dr. Paul Bruno, Assistant Professor of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, discusses his research concerning teacher hiring and how school districts can hire teachers more effectively, including for specific types of positions and with different student populations.

This episode of What's Going On...is the first episode of a three part series. Danielle Pickens, CEO of the Urban Schools Human Capital Academy (USHCA), discusses how local education agency leaders can identify were workforce systems are breaking down and what can be done to fix them.

In this episode, Maryam Rod Szabo, an Administrative Consultant in the Iowa Office of Educator Quality, discusses their work developing a comprehensive mathematics workbook designed for educator preparation programs. This tool supports curriculum revision and self-assessment efforts to ensure that educator preparation aligns with the instructional needs of Iowa’s K–12 mathematics system following the state's update of its mathematics academic standards in 2024.

In this episode, Mary-Dean Barringer and Rebecca Pitkin discuss the work of the Novice Educator Essential Competencies (NEEC) Steering Committee. The NASDTEC Executive Board commissioned an Ad hoc committee to review the InTASC standards. Those standards are owned by CCSSO. In June of 2025, the Ad hoc committee reported  their review and recommended NASDTEC provide and additional resource listing essential competencies for novice teachers to compliment InTASC, allowing states, should they wish, to align their initial licensure and program approval to these competencies. To that end, In October 2025, NASDTEC launched the Novice Educator Essential Competencies Initiative. This episode reviews the work of the committee to date and future steps. 

In this episode, Yelena Bailey Elena, Executive Director of the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board and Lucy Payne, the Board Chair and faculty member in the Department of Teacher Education at the University of St. Thomas, discuss how Minnesota took a proactive approach to literacy legislation by working closely with education preparation faculty, K-5 literacy specialists, and legislators on a literacy continuous improvement rubric and legislation.  On February 13, 2026, Elena and Lucy will join other panelists to discuss this work in a Professional Education Committee Webinar. To register (or view the recording) for that webinar, visit the PEC Open Discussion Webinar under the Events menu of the NASDTEC website. 

In this episode, Malia Hite, Jennifer Prince, and Lisa McLachlan, discuss Utah's Alternate Pathway to Professional Educator License (APPEL). APPEL programs are administered by local school districts, charter schools, or the Board, and prepare individuals to meet the requirements for a Utah professional license or license area of concentration.

In this episode, Kathy Ogden Macfarlane and Dr. Andrew Kwok, discuss their research concerning evidence-based practices for teacher induction programs and practices to avoid during implementation. 

In this episode, Jamie Wilbur, Eric Brooks, and Will Ambos, discuss Arizona's work in educator recruitment and retention.

In this episode, Heather Klesch and Lynn Hammonds discuss how states are implementing innovative funding models aimed at reducing or eliminating the costs associated with teacher certification exams. These efforts represent a strategic investment in the educator pipeline, helping to ensure that all qualified individuals, regardless of financial means, can pursue a career in teaching.

In this second episode of a two-part podcast, Nason Lollar, a twenty-five years in the field of education, and Troy Hutchings conclude their discussion on Dr. Lollar experiences and work.

In this first part of a two-part podcast, Nason Lollar, a twenty-five years in the field of education, discusses his experiences and work with Troy Hutchings, our guest podcast host. Dr. Lollar shares experiences from his first book, The Five Principles of Educator Professionalism.

In this episode, John Arthur, Utah's 2021 Teacher of the Year discusses working and collaborating with policymakers to improve education for all students.

In this episode, Shavon Harris from Alabama, NASDTEC's Vice President and Chair of the Annual Conference Planning Committee, joins Susan Pinson, the NASTDEC Professional Learning Coordinator, and Aimee Green-Webb, the Development Coordinator for NASDTEC, to discuss what participants can expect at the 2025 Annual Conference. 

In this two part podcast, Dr. Carolyn Stone, Professor Emeritus at the University of North Florida, discusses suicidal ideation and the role of student services personnel and the impossible situations in which they are placed. Dr. Stone further discusses how we can change the current practices to protect students and personnel. 

In this two part podcast, Dr. Carolyn Stone, Professor Emeritus at the University of North Florida, discusses suicidal ideation and the role of student services personnel and the impossible situations in which they are placed. Dr. Stone further discusses how we can change the current practices to protect students and personnel. 

In this episode, Norah Softic, Deputy General Counsel in the Kentucky Department of Education Office of Legal Services, discusses the office's work with educator conduct, investigations, administrative actions and restorative practices.

In this episode, Brytten Sorgenfrei, an investigator in the Office of Legal Services with the Nebraska Department of Education shares how they train local school districts to conduct investigative trainings. 

In this episode, Dr. Lynn Hammonds, NASDTEC Legislative Update Coordinators gives and overview of legislative bills of interest that have been filed in various states this legislative session.

In this episode, Jason Swanson, the Senior Director of Strategic Foresight from KnowledgeWorks talks about his work with exploring the future and what that may mean for education and educator preparation. 

In this episode, we talk with three of the 2024 NASDTEC forward fund recipients about the work they are doing in their classrooms. Kylie Altier teachers 1st grade at McKinley Elementary School, in Baton Rouge, LA,  Laura Jeanne Penrod teaches high school English at the Southwest Career and Technical Academy, in Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Frank Hughes teaches Special Education and Adapted Physical Education at John G. Leach School in New Castle, DE.

In this episode, Hannah Putman, Managing Director of Research at the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), discusses NCTQ's Clinical Practices Framework which identifies the focus areas that make for strong clinical practice, and lays out actions for states, districts, and prep programs to take in each area. 

In the episode, Dr. Saroja Warner, the Senior Director of Culturally Responsive Systems at WestEd, talks about work related to diversifying the education workforce. Dr. Warner co-presented at the 2024 NASDTEC Annual Conference with Sheriff El-Mekki. NASDTEC members can view their presentation in the Encore Series to learn more. 

In this episode, Christopher Clayton, Director of Education Services for the Profession & Pipeline in the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) discusses PSEA's work on effective approaches to help build a more diverse and sustainable educator pipeline.

In this episode, we talk with Harrison Peters and Steve Gering from the Men of Color in Educational Leadership (MCEL). Educational leaders of color have expressed an urgent need for tools, professional development, and support specific to their experiences navigating our schools as people of color. Harrison, the CEO, and Steve, a co-founder, explain how MCEL works to address this need.

In this episode, Joseph A. Pearson, the Head of Community at Moreland University, discusses his work with school districts to create innovative and responsive pathways for teacher certification and professional development.

In this episode, Emily Bogus discusses her doctoral research on teacher mobility and how it may relate to the teacher shortage. Dr. Bogus also presented this research at the 2024 NASDTEC Annual Conference. Members of NASDTEC can see that presentation in the NASDTEC Encore Series. 

In this episode, we talk with Callie Marksbary, an elementary educator in Lafayette, Indiana, and the chair of the National Council for the Advancement of Educator Ethics. Also joining us is Anne Marie Fenton, the Facilitator for the Council. They discuss what the Council is, its current and future work. 

In the first episode of season four of What's Going On, we talk with three new NASDTEC staff members to find out more about their new roles and work. The guests are Lynn Hammonds, Legislative Update Coordinator, Catherine Slagle, Professional Practices and Educator Conduct Coordinator, and Susan Pinson, Professional Learning Coordinator. 

In this final episode of Season 3, Brian Devine, the Chair of the Annual Conference Planning Committee, and Catherine Slagle, NASDTEC Development Coordinator, share what attendees can expect at the upcoming 95th Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, from June 23rd through the 25th. 

In this episode, Nicole Lytle and Jason Dickinson from Montclair State University in Montclair, discuss their research and work on strategies for questioning children in forensic contexts to increase the accuracy of legal decision-making in cases involving children. Both Nicole and Jason can be contacted through email. Nicole's email is [email protected] and Jason's is [email protected].

In this episode, Dr. Cassandra Herring, President and CEO of the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity (BranchED), discusses the work of BranchEd and how others can get involved. Dr. Herring may be contacted through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode, we talk with Kerri Whipple of the North Dakota Southeast Education Cooperative and Becky Pitkin with the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. They discuss North Dakota's work implementing the Science of Reading. Becky can be reached through email at [email protected] and Kerri's email is [email protected].

n this episode, Kris Maul, Co-Founder and Principal of Higher Education Licensure Pros LLC (HELP), discusses the new US Department of Education regulations that go into effect on July 1, requiring institutions to certify that programs meet educational requirements for licensure/certification where students are located. Kris can be reached through email at [email protected]. NASDTEC is currently surveying our licensing agencies and EPP Associate Member as we work to update the Licensing portion of the NASDTEC Knowledge Base. Give us your input.

In this episode, we talk with Heather Kirkpatrick from the Alder Graduate School of Education in California where she serves as the CEO & President. Heather can be contacted through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode, Krista Ried, Supervisor of Professional Educator Certification Service, and Dante Watson, Supervisor of Recruitment and Retention, from the Michigan Department of Education, discuss their work to recognize both veterans and current military dependents that are impacted by relocation and high mobility rates involving state issued teacher credentials. In addition to working directly with their legislature to add flexibility for certification transfers, recent change to Michigan law provides specific grant funds to Michigan schools to assist military veterans and current military dependents. Michigan has proactively been developing a list of options and flexibilities that support veterans and current military dependents transition into the profession and support continued employability. Krista and Dante may be contacted through email. Krista’s email is [email protected] and Dante’s email is [email protected]. 

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Heather Klesch from Evaluation Systems of Pearson about their work and enhancements in bias prevention and equity assurance in the test development, administration and scoring processes. Heather is the Vice President of Educator Solutions for Licensing and Learning and can be reached through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode, we talk Kelly Coash-Johnson, the Executive Director of the of the American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) about the upcoming 3rd National Educator Shortage Summit on February 29th and March 1st, 2024. She shares some history with the previous two shortage summits and what participants can expect from this one. Kelly can be reached through email at [email protected].

As part of 2024 NASDTEC Forward Fund drive, we talk with a couple of the 2023 NASDTEC Forward Fund recipients to find out What's Going On in their classrooms. The NASDTEC Forward Fund, established by the Executive Board in 2018, serves as our first philanthropic outreach to give back to the educational community. Its current priority is to support classroom teachers, especially those in under-represented groups and those who serve in high-need schools. To contribute to the NASDTEC Forward Fund, visit us at https://www.nasdtec.net/donations/. 

In this episode, Sean Kottke, the Manager of the Educator Preparation Unit and Interim Assistant Director, and Bridgett McDowell, Education Assessment Specialist, from the the Office of Educator Excellence at the Michigan Department of Education, discuss Michigan's teacher assessment changes. Sean and Bridgett may be contacted through email. Sean's email is [email protected] and Bridgett's is [email protected]. 

In this episode, Angie Gant, the Director of Program Approval with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, discusses Georgia's standards for clinical practice experiences and the state's Pre-Service Certification that all candidates must hold prior to any clinical experience in Georgia. Angie can be reached through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode we talk with Tom Welch from The National Council for State Supervisors For Languages. Tom serves on a committee with the Council known as the Neural Network. Tom, describes himself as a “Connectivist” a person who connects ideas and people who are committed to looking at new ways to cause learning. Tom may be contacted through email at [email protected].  

In this episode we talk with Eric Rossen, the Director of Professional Standards at the National Association of School Psychologists about NASP's current work, the need for more mental health practitioners in schools and why school psychologists play an important role. Eric can be contacted through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode we talk with Jennifer Kammerud who works in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and serves as the Director of the Licensing, Educator Advancement and Development Team and the state's recent data collection from an array of preparation and employment sources to examine the current state of Wisconsin's K-12 education workforce. Jennifer may be contacted through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode with talk with Tuan Nguyen, Assistant Professor of Education at Kansas State University concerning his research around teacher shortages and the nuances and unique situations throughout the country that can vary from region to region, district to district and school to school. Tuan can be contacted through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode we talk with Debb Oliver from Mindful SEAD. Debb is a Learning Scientist, with research interests in Social Emotional, competency based and personalized learning. She co-founded and is CEO of Mindful SEAD, a non-profit organization that inspires innovative teaching and learning through mindful practices and positive psychology by fostering community, personalized learning, developing leadership and embracing each individual’s unique genius. Debb can be reached through email at [email protected]. 

In this episode, Tony Rosilez, NASDTEC Vice President, Annual Conference Planning Committee Chair, and Catherine Slagle, NASDTEC Development Coordinator, share with listeners what to expected at the upcoming 94th Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. 

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Throndsen, the Director of Teaching and Learning at the Utah State Board of Education, discusses Utah’s work to provide additional support and raise expectations for K-3 reading. Dr. Throndsen may be contacted through email at [email protected]. 

The is the second part of our conversation with Jennifer Kirmes and Etai Mizrav where they discuss the Illinois State Board of Education's component approach to the state's educator shortage issue. Jennifer is the Executive Director in the office of Teaching & Learning at the Illinois State Board of Education. Etai is a researcher and consultant to school systems on issues of educational inequality. Both can be reached through email. Jennifer Kirmes' email is [email protected] and Etai Mizrav's email is [email protected].