Welcome to "The Source," an e-newsletter exclusively for Student PSEA members. In each issue, you'll receive the latest updates from your association, advice from veteran educators, professional development offerings, and more to support you as an aspiring educator.
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Inside this issue
- 2025-26 Student PSEA Executive Committee
- Critical Alert: Student teacher stipends
- Don’t miss upcoming judicial elections
- Summer recap: NEA’s Aspiring Educators Conference & PSEA’s Summer Leadership Conference
- Upcoming Student PSEA events
- Center for Professional Learning’s September and October events
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2025-26 Student PSEA Executive Committee
• President: Ashton DeMorat, Penn State University
• President-elect: Hannah Rake, PennWest University-Clarion
• Vice President: Bella Liberto, West Chester University
• Secretary: Hailey Kachmarchi, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• PSEA-PACE Chair: Gavin Mitsdarfer, PennWest University-Edinboro
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Critical Alert: Student teacher stipends
In case you haven't heard, the Pennsylvania state budget is now more than TWO MONTHS LATE!
Student teachers are hit especially hard by this delay. Without a budget in place, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) can’t confirm student teachers’ eligibility for life-changing student teacher stipends, communicate with applicants, or pay student teachers the stipends they’ve been counting on.
Here’s what you need to know:
- PSEA is pushing for lawmakers to pass a REAL state budget with at least $40 million for student teacher stipends.
- The budget bill the state Senate passed last month amounts to a $10 million cut to the student teacher stipend program.
- When applications opened for the program in April, 3,435 student teachers applied for stipends.
- There’s a crisis-level school staff shortage in Pennsylvania and paying student teachers for their 12-week student teaching assignments is a way to attract caring, qualified adults to the profession.
We KNOW that we need at least $40 million to fund student teacher stipends for every student who wants one. And we know pro-public education lawmakers can get this done, BUT NOT UNTIL THEY PASS A BUDGET.
Contact your state legislators and Gov. Josh Shapiro RIGHT NOW and tell them to finish the state budget and include at least $40 million to fund student teacher stipends for EVERY student teacher.
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Don’t miss upcoming judicial elections
The 2025 retention elections will shape the future of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which has issued rulings with wide-reaching implications for the commonwealth.
Three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices are up for retention: Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. Together, these justices have contributed to landmark decisions that directly affect the daily lives of Pennsylvanians and educators.
These elections will determine how the court addresses issues that impact the daily lives of Pennsylvanians:
• The quality of public education
• How our elections are run
• What happens at our workplaces
• Our online privacy rights
• Even the air we breathe and the water we drink
The decisions made by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court shape the daily lives of its residents. With three justices up for retention in 2025, the outcome of these elections will have long-term implications for the rights, protections, and opportunities of everyday Pennsylvanians for years to come.
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Summer recap: NEA’s Aspiring Educators Conference & PSEA’s Summer Leadership Conference
2025 NEA Aspiring Educators Conference and Representative Assembly
From June 28 to July 1, Student PSEA delegates represented Pennsylvania at the 2025 NEA Aspiring Educators Conference and Representative Assembly in Portland, Oregon, to connect with peers from other states and to work on issues impacting public education. While there, Student PSEA-PACE Chair Gavin Mitsdarfer received a NEA-Retired Jack Kinnaman Scholarship.
The 2026 NEA Aspiring Educators Conference and Representative Assembly will be held in Denver, Colorado.
2025 PSEA Summer Leadership Conference
From July 22-26, Student PSEA members attended the PSEA Summer Leadership Conference's New & Early Career Educators School at Gettysburg College. Attendees participated in professional development sessions about AI and classroom management, learned vital career information about certification, contracts, and graduate program opportunities, and heard from three former Pennsylvania Teachers of the Year and the 2025 National Teacher of the Year Ashlie Crosson.
Student PSEA members interested in attending the 2026 PSEA Summer Leadership Conference should inquire here by April 6, 2026.
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Upcoming Student PSEA events
Rock Solid Educator’s Conference - Nov. 15, 2025
Join Slippery Rock University Student PSEA on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for their annual Rock Solid Educator’s Conference. Attendees will have opportunities for professional development, professional headshots, community service, and more. For more information and to register, click here. Questions should be directed to mwrspsea@gmail.com.
2026 Student PSEA Conference and Convention - March 28-29, 2026
The 2026 Student PSEA Conference and Convention will be held at the Penn Stater in State College from March 28-29, 2026. Attendees will network with fellow aspiring educators from across Pennsylvania, elect Student PSEA’s 2026-27 officers, donate to PSEA-PACE, and hear from public education experts. The 2026 Student PSEA awards and A.P.E.X. awards will be presented, and Interactive Learning Project competitions will take place at the conference.
Keep an eye out for more 2026 Student PSEA Conference and Convention details and registration information on Student PSEA's Facebook page and in future issues of The Source. |
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Center for Professional Learning’s September and October events
• Evaluation of New & Early Career Educators: Sept. 23, 7-8 p.m.
• Ready, Set, Support: Open Chat for Special Educators: Oct. 2, 7-8 p.m.
• The PSEA AI Task Force Impact Report: Keeping Education Human with Ethical, Practical, and Professional Guidance for AI Use in Pennsylvania Schools Moving Forward: Oct. 8, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Getting to Know the 3D Science Standards: STEELS Are Here!: Oct. 16, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Certification, Tenure, Induction, and Act 48: Oct. 21, 7-8 p.m.
• Spooky Stories to Read in the Classroom: Oct. 29, 7-8 p.m.
EDGE brings pre‐professionals, experienced teachers, and other education professionals together to collaborate and discuss the issues facing public education and the profession. Interested in inviting an EDGE speaker to your Student PSEA chapter event? Review the list of available topics and email students@psea.org with a presentation topic, event details, and contact information.
NNSTOY-PA is a statewide organization of teachers who have been named Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year finalists and are available for speaking engagements. Interested in inviting a finalist to attend and/or speak at your Student PSEA chapter event? Click here to submit a speaker request.
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Connect with Student PSEA on social media
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The Source provides you with pertinent information, interesting features, and valuable resources on your journey as a Student PSEA member.
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400 N. 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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This message is intended for PSEA Members and their families.
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