Brian D. Yontz, chair and associate professor of education, was recently elected to the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (OACTE).
According to its website, the purpose of the association is to advocate for and provide leadership in educator preparation in the state of Ohio by working collaboratively with member institutions to influence state policy, strengthen programs, engage in research, and share information.
“This is an influential organization within the state that works with policy and research in teacher education,” said Yontz, who will serve on the Advocacy Committee. “This is good news for Wittenberg as it will increase our presence in Columbus with both the state legislature and with the Governor’s Office.”
This 25-member board, which meets twice annually, consists of 18 representatives from both private and public schools. Each member elects to serve on one of three committees – the advocacy committee, the professional advancement committee, or the inquiry committee. Committee work is conducted throughout the year.
The goal of the advocacy committee is to establish and maintain effective relations with state education agencies, state legislature, the Governor’s Office, and other governmental agencies in order to advocate on behalf of educator preparation. In the past, this committee has organized and sponsored Day on the Square, during which teacher educators meet with legislators, discuss current issues, and become resources for accurate information.
Yontz, who came to Wittenberg in 2006, is a product of the Springfield City Schools and considers it “a true blessing to work with the students and teachers in Clark County and the Springfield City Schools.” He teaches courses in urban education, educational policy, and foundations of education at the graduate and undergraduate level.
In addition, Yontz is one of Wittenberg’s faculty athletics representatives and previously served as a Board of Examiner member for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Yontz earned his Ph.D. from Ohio State University in Education Policy and Leadership.
