VACTE Inquiry Initiative

A Collaborative Research/Practice Project to Understand Teacher Retention

As a follow-up to the 3-year implementation of ATE’s Inquiry Initiative, VACTE will launch a 2-year edition in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The purpose of the initiative is to:

  • Provide a focused, collaborative research structure for VACTE members to address a pressing scholarly, pedagogical practice, and policy issue: teacher retention

  • Promote long-term research relationships among existing VACTE members--and provide new members with opportunities to engage

  • Highlight VACTE as a research, practice, and policy player in the Commonwealth

 

Call for Participants

We are seeking a team of 6-8 individuals from around the Commonwealth who would work with the VACTE leadership team to form an ad hoc planning committee to finalize the structures and recruitment call for the Initiative. We hope to recruit participants starting in July/August for a fall conference launch.

If you’re interested in serving on the planning committee or just want to add your name to our email list for more information, reach out to VACTE President-Elect Kristien Zenkov and VACTE Secretary Audra Parker.

 

Initiative Information

    • Enhanced academic community

    • Opportunities for research, publishing, presenting, and grant awards

    • Guaranteed research, practice, and policy presentations at conferences

    • Participation officially recognized for annual review

    • Enhanced profile as an association in the Commonwealth and nationally

    • Increased, more sustainable, and more intentional membership

    • Recruit 25 participants from across the Commonwealth and range of institutions; participants selected by application

    • Participants would initially be organized around topical sub-groups, with expected movement between sub-groups based on current projects

    • Participants required to attend 3 of next 4 VACTE conferences (Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Fall 2026, Spring 2027)

    • Participants would meet as a collective each Friday afternoon of the next four conferences, as well as monthly (virtually) as sub-groups in between each conference

    • Next four conferences would include a “Teacher Retention Strand,” where participants would have guaranteed presentation opportunities

    • VACTE would provide Friday afternoon meeting space and boxed lunches for participants and facilitators