Dr. Barbara Tucker, dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies at Sul Ross State University, was recently named an Impact Academy fellow through national non-profit organization Deans for Impact (DFI).

Dr. Tucker joins a cohort of leaders chosen for their commitment to improving educator preparation.
Educator preparation programs today face complex challenges as they recruit and prepare teachers who are equipped to engage all PK-12 students in rigorous, equitable and affirming learning experiences. More than ever, the field needs leaders who can strengthen and diversify the educator workforce. DFI aims to fill this need through its Impact Academy fellowship, which has empowered more than 130 dean-level leaders to-date with skills, knowledge and strategies to prioritize instructional quality and build more equitable systems of teaching and learning.

Dr. Tucker is one of 24 leaders announced as part of the fellowship’s eighth cohort. Fellows lead traditional and non-traditional educator preparation programs reaching 25 states and Washington D.C. Collectively, these institutions annually serve nearly 15,000 future teachers, 45 percent of whom identify as people of color.

Fellows will participate in monthly learning sessions, receive one-on-one coaching from seasoned leaders, and engage in peer consultancies to address field-facing challenges in real-time. They will hone their ability to engage faculty, staff, communities and instructional partners in a shared vision for transformative change, grounded in a deep scientific understanding about how students learn.

“For the eighth year in a row, we welcome a diverse group of outstanding leaders to Impact Academy who are steadfast in their commitment to ensuring all PK-12 students access well-prepared teachers,” said DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura. “As communities respond to shortages of skilled educators, there is no more crucial time to ensure that we’re building pathways into teaching that are accessible, practice-based and focused on equitable instruction. Leaders in educator preparation play an essential role in charting the future of the teaching profession.”

For more information, email btucker@sulross.edu or visit www.sulross.edu/catalog/college-of-education-and-professional-studies/.