American Indian Professional Educators' Collaborative (AIPEC)
Christine Sims, Associate Professor, Department of Language, Literacy, & Sociocultural Studies
Total Award: $1,115,647
Project Period: 10/01/16 to 9/30/20
Dr. Christine Sims
The American Indian Professional Educators’ Collaborative (AIPEC) is a four-year US Department of Education funded project focused on increasing the number of American Indian teachers and education administrators in New Mexico. AIPEC addresses pre-service training for teachers and administrators focusing on the following groups: undergraduate full-time pre-service teacher and full-time graduate education administrator candidates. This initiative will provide a comprehensive and collaborative network of support services between the Teacher Education and Educational Leadership Program (TEELP), Promoting Our Learning, Leadership & Empowering our Nations (POLLEN) program and the American Indian Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center (AILPRTTC). The AILPRTTC is based within the Department of Language, Literacy & Sociocultural Studies in the UNM College of Education. The project encompasses a comprehensive new approach to partnering with Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Tribes to engage in a partner relationship that will provide induction support services and job placement opportunities for teachers and administrators completing their degrees in the UNM COE. AIPEC will recruit American Indian participants who are affiliated with NM Pueblos and Tribes or members of other Tribal Nations. The intent is to support AIPEC participants who will stay and give service back to New Mexico schools, drawing upon their knowledge, skills, and commitment as role models and educational leaders in their own communities and in local schools with significant will complete their degrees by the end of the four-year project. Dr. Shawn Secatero (co-PI) and Dr. Robin Minthorn, from the TEELP and the POLLEN Project will be assisting with AIPEC activities.