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ATE UNIT AWARDS PROGRAM GUIDELINES
Updated 2010
I. Purpose
The Association of Teacher Educators has established a national Unit Awards Program sponsored by Past President John Sikula. This program recognizes the efforts and accomplishments of affiliated units across the country. ATE units provide essential services and programs at the local and state levels, thereby supporting the national organization’s mission and goals. The Awards Program is a vehicle for ATE to provide visibility and distinction to units that fulfill the performance criteria indicated.
This program originally was endorsed by the Council of Unit Presidents, the Association Development Committee, and the Delegate Assembly at the 1998 Annual Meeting. It was proposed by John Sikula, ATE President, 1989-1990. Guidelines have been revised many times to assure a more level playing field and to encourage more extensive, fair competition. On February 24, 2007, at the ATE Annual Meeting in San Diego, ATE’s Leadership Foundation for Teacher Education (LFTE) agreed to set up an Endowment Fund to continue to support this program after the death of Dr. Sikula, who pledged $20,000 from donors and his estate. The interest from this fund will support this program after John’s death. Past President Sikula made an original donation of $5,000 to get the fund started. He added another $5,000 to the fund on February 14, 2010.
II. Eligibility
Any state or regional unit of ATE may participate in the Awards Program.
III. Number of Awards
Three types of awards are given by national ATE.
A. Achievement Awards: Presented to all who qualify each year.
B. Unit Development Awards: One award is available in each of three categories each year. The three categories are:
1. Programs / Services
2. Membership / Management
3. Articulation with the National Office
C. Outstanding Unit Award: Normally, one award is made each year.
IV. Judging
The period covered by the Awards Program is from January 1 through December 31 of the year previous to the award. Only accomplishments which have occurred in this time frame may be considered.
The Awards Committee to select winners consists of three Past Presidents of ATE. Currently, the members are Tom Buttery, Charlotte Mendoza, and John Sikula, Chair. Judging is done annually by this Awards Committee. Awards will be presented during the Annual Meeting in February. Entries must be received by January 2. Three copies of the entry should be mailed directly to the Awards Committee Chair.
John Sikula
Massillon Center
Ashland University
2550 University Dr. S.E.
Massillon, OH 44646
V. Unit Achievement Awards
Before a unit is eligible to win one of the Unit Development Awards, it must first meet certain achievement criteria expected of healthy ATE units. It is hoped that most ATE units could win an Achievement Award each year. There are no weights given to the performance criteria in this category. The unit either meets these criteria or it does not. Units can win this award yearly if they apply and satisfy the performance criteria.
Unit Achievement Awards are certificates.
Unit Achievement Award
Performance Criteria
Units must satisfy at least 10 of the following 13 criteria:
1. Bylaws and a constitution have been approved.
2. Unit officers are national members.
3. An annual report was filed with the National Office.
4. At least one conference/program is conducted yearly.
5. Unit meets at least once a year for business purposes.
6. At least half of the delegates or alternates attended the last Delegate Assembly.
7. Public school personnel and higher education personnel are visibly involved (e.g., serve on the Executive Board, chair committees, are delegates to the Delegate Assembly, etc.).
8. Representatives(s) attended the last Council of Unit Presidents’ meeting at the previous National Meeting or Summer Workshop.
9. Unit standing committees are functioning.
10. Evidence of state/national membership recruitment and retention is presented.
11. Membership recruitment activities are in evidence.
12. Students are involved in unit activities.
13. State and national activities are in evidence.
VI. Unit Development Awards
Unit Development Awards are ATE’s second highest awards for units. They recognize accomplishments in three specific categories: Programs/Services; Membership/Management; and Articulation with the National Office. Units may submit applications in one, two, or three categories. Normally, each category will have one winner per year. The three performance categories have equal weight. The performance criteria and weighted values are indicated on the following pages.
Only units receiving a Unit Achievement Award are eligible for one of the Unit Development Awards. Unit Development Awards can be received in consecutive years. This award consists of a plaque and a check for $100, and normally one award in each of the three categories will be given each year.
VII. Outstanding Unit Award
Each year one Outstanding Unit normally will be selected and honored. This award will be based upon overall excellence and performance of the unit in the Unit Development Awards competition. Units must submit applications in all three of the Unit Development Award categories to be considered for the Outstanding Unit Award. This Award can be won once in a five-year period. This award consists of a large plaque and a check for $500.
VIII. Suggested Application Format
On the cover page, provide the name of the ATE Unit and the name, address, and telephone number of the unit member submitting the application. Also, indicate if the application is for an Achievement Award, Unit Development Award for Programs/ Services, Unit Development Award for Membership/Management, and/or Unit Development Award for Articulation with the National Office.
On the following pages, document each criterion met. In most cases, a description is sufficient. If there is a product, you may include it in an Appendix.
Please remember that the criteria refer to accomplishments which have occurred from January 1 - December 31 of the year previous to the award.
Unit Development Award
I. Programs / Services
| Performance Criteria |
Points |
| 1. Fall and/or spring meeting or project sponsored. |
10 per meeting |
| 2. Unit helps plan an event with another ATE Unit. |
10 |
| 3. Journal produced and distributed. |
10 |
| 4. Public school members involved. |
10 |
| 5. Unit engaged in a planning process. |
10 |
| 6. Meeting announcements sent to unit membership and the National Office. |
5 |
| 7. Awards Program sponsored. |
5 |
| 8. Legislative Committee functioned. |
5 |
| 9. Unit Service Project sponsored. |
5 |
| 10. Professional Development activity sponsored. |
5 |
| 11. Research formally promoted. |
5 |
| 12. Scholarship program developed. |
5 |
| 13. Executive Committee meeting(s) held and documented. |
5 |
| 14. Some type of newsletter circulated. |
5 |
| Bonus Points |
Up to 10 |
Maximum one-page statement on why a Development Award
is deserved in this area.
Unit Development Award
II. Membership / Management
| Performance Criteria |
Points |
| 1. National membership increased. |
10 |
| 2. 75% of individual members retained from previous year. |
10 |
| 3. Unit has an Executive Secretary/Director. |
10 |
| 4. Recruitment activities conducted. |
10 |
| 5. Standing Committees functioned. |
10 |
| 6. New member activities or meetings conducted. |
5 |
| 7. Office Orientation or Leadership Conference held. |
5 |
| 8. Membership recruitment and unit information brochures produced and distributed. |
5 |
| 9. Renewal notices sent. |
5 |
| 10. Ad Hoc Commission(s) functioned. |
5 |
| 11. Student members participated. |
5 |
| 12. Unit Directory circulated. |
5 |
| 13. Unit operated in the black. |
5 |
14. Financial report provided to members and/or Executive
Committee. |
5 |
| Bonus Points |
Up to 10 |
Maximum one-page statement on why a Development Award
is deserved in this area.
Unit Development Award
III. Articulation with the National Office
| Performance Criteria |
Points |
| 1. National membership increased. |
10 |
| 2. State or unit membership increased. |
10 |
| 3. Unit officers at the Annual Meeting and the Summer Workshop. |
10 |
| 4. Annual Report filed. |
10 |
5. At least half of the delegates or alternates attended the last
Delegate Assembly. |
10 |
| 6. Unit has engaged in a planning process. |
5 |
| 7. Unit plan is articulated with the mission and goals of ATE. |
5 |
| 8. Bylaws/Constitution approved by the Standards and Performance Committee. |
5 |
| 9. Unit is represented at the Council of Unit Presidents Meeting during the Annual Meeting and/or the Summer Workshop. |
5 each meeting |
| 10. Unit officers are encouraged to hold leadership positions at the national level. |
5 |
| 11. Unit contributes at least $50 to the National ATE (e.g. Leadership Foundation, special projects, donations, etc.) |
5 |
| 12. Unit financially supports members to attend the ATE National Meeting. |
5 |
| 13. Unit contains people who hold national office (e.g., Board member or Committee Chair during current year). |
5 each |
| 14. Unit contains the winner of an individual national ATE award during current year. |
5 each |
| Bonus Points |
Up to 10 |
Maximum one-page statement on why a Development Award
is deserved in this area.
Outstanding Unit Award
The Outstanding Unit Award is determined by adding up the points earned in each of the three Unit Development Award categories – 1 Programs / Services; 2 – Membership / Management; and 3 – Articulation with the National Office. The Unit with the most total points wins the plaque and check for $500.
Previous winners of the Outstanding Unit Award follow:
1988 California
1989 Ohio
1990 Texas
1991 Minnesota
1992 Michigan
1993 California
1994 Virginia
1995 Texas
1996 Louisiana
1997 Illinois
1998 Iowa
1999 North Dakota
2000 Texas
2001 None
2002 Illinois
2003 Indiana and Ohio
2004 California
2005 Georgia
2006 Pennsylvania
2007 Illinois
2008 Texas
2009 None
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