Ed-prep leaders as advocates: building a coalition, not competition

This story was initially published in DFI's report Lead Boldly, Teach Brilliantly.

Many educator preparation leaders don’t see themselves as advocates. But in today’s policy landscape, staying on the sidelines isn’t an option. From licensure to funding, state and federal decisions shape the daily realities of EPPs and the future of teaching and learning.

At DFI, we support ed-prep leaders to proactively advocate for conditions that enable teacher preparation to be high-quality, accessible to all who aspire to teach, and represented in all major policy decisions that have implications for future teachers and students. We partner with leaders to show up with solutions, share compelling stories that move decision-makers to action, and engage in coalitions that reflect the full range of pathways into teaching. As Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year, conveyed at a gathering of Impact Academy leaders:

“When I've told all of my teacher friends about the engagements I’ve gotten to do, the one they were most impressed with was today. You guys are the ones we pass in the hall and later we say to each other, Did you see so-and-so? Because it was a big deal. Your position carries a lot of clout.”

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In Tennessee, a group of educator-preparation leaders decided to use that clout to drive change together. What began as informal connections turned into a statewide force: the Tennessee Ed Prep Impact Coalition, today representing 10 EPPs of different geographic and institutional contexts that collectively prepare nearly half of the state’s future teachers.

“This is a coalition of people who, on paper, should be competing with each other – but we’re collaborators,” shares Jim McIntyre, Dean of the College of Education at Belmont University. “Together, we’re stronger and more effective as a coalition of educator-preparation programs. I’ve found that structure to be powerful in that we become more attentive to all the different strategies and activities that support all teachers, and all students.”

Since 2019, the coalition has innovated on-the-ground practices and leveraged learnings to inform advocacy efforts, such as:

• Expanding early and integrated practice experiences throughout an aspiring teacher’s preparation experiences, including paid tutoring roles initiated during the pandemic

• Leading implementation of the 2021 Literacy Success Act, with several of these programs among the first to adopt aligned shifts

• Shaping statewide conversations on instructional quality through literacy, math, and the use of high-quality instructional materials through joint op-eds, public speaking engagements, and direct engagement with policymakers

• Championing licensure requirements for aspiring teachers that contribute to expanding the recruitment and retention of future educators

• Strengthening mentoring and induction practices aligned with evidence to better support new teachers in their first few years of teaching

The coalition meets throughout the year via virtual calls and in-person gatherings facilitated by DFI to share updates from their respective contexts, process evolutions in federal and state policy contexts, and collaborate on advocacy efforts.

What Tennessee leaders are modeling isn’t just policy savvy: it’s a necessary kind of leadership, one where collaboration trumps competition, and where advocacy becomes an extension of the same commitment to excellence that drives instructional improvement and strategic change within their programs.

As Matt Cheek, a coalition member, Impact Academy alumnus, and Executive Director of Nashville Teacher Residency, put it: “Far too often we just leave teachers to teach in silos, and there's not the collaboration. And when we say collaboration, it's not just getting together and being in a room, but it's really like, ‘Hey, we're going to struggle through this. We're going to figure this out. I'm going to lean on you. You're going to lean on me, and we're going to push forward.’ And so we have to do that on a broader scale and create more opportunities for collaboration.”

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How can leaders show up as advocates?

In our report, Lead Boldly, Teach Brilliantly, we identify engaging in advocacy efforts as one of three critical, mutually-reinforcing priorities leaders can act on in order to strengthen teacher preparation over the next 10 years. To put this priority into action, we encourage leaders to:

1. Use your voice and visibility to influence policy decisions. Don’t subscribe to an assumption of “build and they will come.” Proactively show up in external spaces where you can leverage your perspective to influence broader policy decision-making. Attend state board meetings, testify when possible, and seek out regular meetings with local policymakers and state agency staff. As a representative of your program, your presence and proactive engagement conveys a clear message that teacher preparation must be a part of the conversation, and the solution.
   
   
2. Partner with peer institutions to amplify a shared voice and vision. Invite local or statewide EPP leaders into conversations about shared policy and/or programmatic challenges across different pathways into teaching. Use those discussions to develop common messages and policy recommendations, like establishing mentorship and induction supports or addressing shortages of math teachers. Coordinate how you and your peer leaders show up in public forums, author op-eds, or present at state and national conferences and articulate consistent, cohesive messages about valuable change efforts. 
   
   
3. Connect program innovations to broader advocacy goals. Leverage your program’s strengths, like real-world training or grow-your-own teacher pipelines, to shape practical policy solutions. Share compelling data and stories that underscore what future teachers need to succeed, especially when it comes to making pathways into teaching more affordable and accessible, while maintaining a high bar for instructional quality. When timely, invite policymakers to visit your program and hear directly from future teachers. Learn what matters most to local leaders and connect their priorities with your day-to-day impact. Your insights can bridge the gap between policy ideas and real-world implementation and results, proving that better teacher preparation isn’t just possible, it’s already happening.

Learn More

DFI has supported a community of nearly 200 leaders through our Impact Academy fellowship and Leadership Collaborative alumni network to transform teaching and learning in their communities and in collective efforts. To get involved, apply to be a 2026-27 Impact Academy fellow or get in touch to learn more: