TED January Leadership Message
Happy New Year, TED Family
As we step into a new year, we are greeted with a horizon full of possibilities. Each January offers us a fresh canvas—a chance to reflect on where we’ve been and to chart bold paths forward. This year is not just about continuing our journey; it’s about embracing innovation, collaboration, and growth in ways that will define the future of TED and the communities we serve in.
It is an honor to begin 2026 as your President. First, I want to extend my gratitude to our outgoing President, Dr. LaRon Scott, for his outstanding leadership. His contributions to the strength and direction of TED have been inspiring, and I am grateful that he will continue to provide guidance and support as Past President.
I also want to acknowledge and thank our entire board for their dedication and efforts. Congratulations to the recently elected members of our board:
• President-Elect: Elizabeth Bettini (Boston University)
• Treasurer / Representative Assembly: Shannon Budin (Buffalo State University)
• Member-at-Large, Political Action: Lucky Mason-Williams (Binghamton University)
• Members-at-Large, Research: Shanna Hirsch (University of Maryland) & Hannah Matthews (University of Florida)
• Kaleidoscope Chair: Samantha Gonzalez (Texas A&M University)
Please also join me in thanking the board members whose terms have ended and will be rolling off: Ambra Green, Wendy Rodgers, Kathy Randolph, Flo Bason, and Kyena Cornelius. Your service has strengthened this organization, and we look forward to the great things your continued involvement in TED will bring.
Next week, the presidential line will be gathering to discuss the year ahead. We will be meeting individually with board committee chairs to establish priorities and member opportunities. As I mentioned at our conference in Kansas City in November, the strength of TED lies in the dedication, passion, and creativity of our members. Therefore, we aim to foster a collaborative and innovative environment that continues to position TED as a leader in the field at both national and local levels. Although challenges will undoubtedly arise, I am confident in our collective expertise and influence to shape solutions and keep moving forward.
Let’s get to work!
Updates
Washington Update
The January Washington Update is now available to read on the TED Website or listen on the Washington Update Podcast! Filled with valuable information and updates. If you haven’t reviewed it yet, I encourage you to do so.
A special thank you to Dr. Kaitlyn Brennan for her exceptional work in preparing the update and for her steadfast leadership within TED. We are fortunate to have her expertise and collaboration.
Mark your Calendars! Dates for virtual Washington Updates, all times in eastern:
Jan 26, 2026 @ 5:00 PM
Feb 26, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
March 26, 2026 @ 3:00PM
Apr 23, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
May 28, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
Jun 25, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
Jul 23, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
Aug 27, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
Sep 24, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
Oct 22, 2026 @ 3:00 PM
You can register for all the virtual Washington updates here
We’re excited to share an update, and an important scheduling change.
Our regularly scheduled Washington Update for this Thursday is cancelled and will instead be held as a Special Edition Washington Update on Monday January 26, 5:00 PM ET. We made this shift to give members more time and space to engage in what is a major bipartisan win for education.
This special update will focus on the newly released four-bill FY 2026 appropriations package, which includes funding for Labor–HHS–Education, Defense, Transportation–HUD, and Homeland Security. We focus most specifically on LHHS Education.
Most notably, the package effectively freezes funding for the U.S. Department of Education, providing $78.794 billion in total funding.
To give context, this is $259 million (0.3%) less than FY 2024, which included earmarks, and
$32 million (0.04%) more than FY 2025, which was enacted through a continuing resolution without earmarks.
Given the broader federal landscape, this outcome is a significant victory, and one worth both celebrating and strategically building upon.
During this special edition update, we will:
• Break down what’s in the bill and why it matters
• Celebrate this hard-fought bipartisan win
• Discuss advocacy priorities and strategy as we move forward in the FY 2026 process
We strongly encourage members to join us for this timely and energizing conversation.
With appreciation,
Kait
TED Policy Advisor
Professional Development Committee
Happy New Year from the Professional Development Committee!
We’re excited to share that we are launching our virtual TED CEC book club, The Scholar’s Shelf. Stay tuned for the official title release and details on how to join. We’ll also have a dedicated space to connect in person at CEC in March, so we hope to see many of you there for meaningful discussion and reflection!
Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope is seeking faculty judges for the Student Research Symposium (poster session) at the 2026 CEC Convention & Expo in Salt Lake City happening on Thursday, March 12th from 11:45am to 12:30pm. We have received a high number of submissions and are therefore seeking a minimum of 15 judges. Interested faculty are encouraged to fill out the following google form: https://forms.gle/nZGuGG8UCW4C6gTB9 Thank you for your consideration and support!
Virtual Suggestion Box
As with previous leadership messages, the virtual suggestion box remains open. Please use this Virtual Suggestion Box link to share your ideas and feedback to help make TED an even stronger organization.
In appreciation,
Andy Markelz
President, TED
Posted:
21 January, 2026
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