August 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to the Fall 2026 Anchin Center newsletter! I'm excited to share this newsletter with you as the Director and Endowed Chair of Education Innovation in the Anchin Center. I'm grateful for the opportunity to lead a center whose work I believe in so strongly and to continue working alongside our exceptional team, faculty partners, educators, school and district leaders, and community partners as we begin another school year.

I want to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. David Scanga as he transitions out of the Director role. Over the past three years, Dave provided outstanding leadership and helped the Anchin Center expand its programs, partnerships, and impact. I feel very fortunate to have worked as a member of Dave's team and alongside him as Co-Director, and I am proud of all we accomplished together. Dave remains an important part of the USF and Anchin communities through ongoing grant work, his involvement with the USF Alumni Society, continued service on the Anchin Center Advisory Board, and other project-based work with the Center.

The stories featured in this newsletter reflect the energy and breadth of our work during the past spring and summer—from welcoming nearly 800 educators to our Advanced Placement Summer Institute and bringing educators together for the AI in Education Summit to advancing mathematics instruction, supporting biotechnology learning, engaging families at MOSI and elevating faculty scholarship. Each initiative demonstrates what is possible when we connect research, professional expertise and strong partnerships in service of teachers and students.

This newsletter also includes updates on new programs and initiatives taking shape in the Center, along with a preview of our fall professional learning opportunities. We have much to build on and even more ahead of us. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the Anchin Center!

Here's to a great school year!

Rachel Hatten, Ph.D.

Director

David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching

• Anchin Center Named in New Florida Law Expanding Access to Teacher Recertification
• Gift to David C. Anchin Center Expands Leadership Development for K-12 Leaders
• Anchin Center Becomes New Home of Classroom Caffeine Podcast
• Spring & Summer Professional Learning Highlights
• Anchin Center's Advanced Placement Summer Institute Welcomes Nearly 800 Educators from Around the World
• Meet the Anchin Center Scholars in Residence for 26-27
• Fall Professional Learning Preview
• Make a gift to the Anchin Center
• About the David C. Anchin Center

The David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching has been named in a new Florida law that expands access to professional learning for educators seeking to renew or reinstate their professional certificates.

CS/HB 561: Educator Preparation and Certification, now Chapter 2026-106, identifies the Anchin Center as the required collaborating partner for the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami Dade College. The legislation took effect July 1, 2026.

Under the new law, the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence, in collaboration with the Anchin Center, will develop and deliver evidence-based professional learning aligned with the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices. The Florida Center for Teaching Excellence is also required to submit a professional learning system to the Florida Department of Education for approval. Through that system, certified educators seeking to renew or reinstate their certificates must be able to access professional learning at no cost, with earned in-service points submitted to the Department of Education on their behalf.

This legislation addresses a significant challenge for educators who are not employed by a school district or another organization with an approved professional learning system. Historically, these educators have had limited access to the in-service points needed for certificate renewal or reinstatement. The new pathway will help educators maintain their credentials or prepare to return to the profession without first having to secure employment with a school district.

The Anchin Center’s inclusion in the legislation recognizes its growing statewide role in educator professional learning and creates an important opportunity to support teachers at different stages of their careers. The Anchin Center will work with the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence and the Florida Department of Education to develop the professional learning system and will share additional information with educators as implementation details become available.

A new gift from Isabel Anchin Becker is set to strengthen leadership development for K-12 principals through the David C. Anchin Center at the USF College of Education. The contribution will support the creation of a cohort-based leadership development program and coaching network that will provide ongoing mentorship, collaborative learning and practical tools for navigating complex school environments.

Founded in 1999 by Anna and David Anchin — a forward-thinking Russian immigrant whose life was transformed by education — the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching is dedicated to strengthening teaching and leadership in schools, serving thousands of educators worldwide each year through approximately 60 low- or no-cost professional learning opportunities.

Inspired to continue her parents’ legacy and vision to support educators, Isabel’s gift will help develop new professional learning programming for school leaders.

Expected to launch in the 2026-2027 academic year, the goal is to equip education leaders with the tools, guidance and professional community needed to drive meaningful, lasting improvements in schools that lead to student success.

Read more...

The Anchin Center is now the home of Classroom Caffeine, an educational research-to-practice podcast that brings the work of leading researchers and practitioners directly to educators.

Through conversations about research, teaching and learning, Classroom Caffeine addresses a persistent challenge in education: important research does not always reach classroom teachers in accessible, practical ways, while the questions and challenges emerging from schools do not always inform educational research. Each episode invites a guest to discuss the experiences that have shaped their thinking, their current work and what they most want educators to know.

The podcast was created in 2020 by Dr. Lindsay Persohn, a literacy scholar and former assistant professor at the University of South Florida. Under Persohn’s leadership, Classroom Caffeine developed a global community of listeners, generating more than 40,000 downloads across 129 countries and featuring an extensive collection of conversations with influential scholars and educators.

As the podcast transitions to the Anchin Center and the USF College of Education, Dr. Rachel Hatten will serve as its host and executive producer. Hatten is the Director and Endowed Chair of Education Innovation for the Anchin Center, where she leads the development of research-informed professional learning for practicing educators and school and district leaders.

“Bringing Classroom Caffeine into the Anchin Center is a natural extension of our work,” Hatten said. “The podcast and the Center share a commitment to making research accessible and useful to educators while creating opportunities for researchers to learn from the knowledge and experiences of practitioners. Dr. Persohn has built something truly special, and I am excited to continue and expand its impact.”

The transition was announced in the April 14 episode, “A Conversation with Rachel Hatten: Passing the Mic.” In the episode, Persohn and Hatten discuss the future of the podcast and the shared commitment to bridging education research and practice that makes the Anchin Center a fitting home for the show.

Read more...

The David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching partnered with Tampa’s Museum of Science & Innovation (MOSI) to host Teachers at MOSI on February 19, 2026. The free, family-friendly event invited K–12 educators to bring their children for an evening of shared learning, discovery and museum exploration.

Teachers at MOSI offers a distinctive approach to professional learning by creating an experience educators and their families can enjoy together. Following a pizza dinner, participants explored two of MOSI’s featured learning experiences: Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion and the planetarium presentation Dream to Fly.

Through interactive displays inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, Machines in Motion introduced participants to the work of one of history’s most imaginative artists, designers, engineers and inventors. Educators and children experimented with life-sized machines and explored connections among art, engineering, creativity and scientific discovery. Read more...

On March 7, the University of South Florida College of Education and the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching served as the host site for the inaugural Pathways to Biliteracy Symposium, organized by Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS). The event brought together more than 200 dual language, world language, and ESOL resource teachers from across the district for a day of professional learning, collaboration, and celebration of multilingual education.

The symposium was designed to support educators working across bilingual, dual language, and ESOL contexts while strengthening pathways to biliteracy for students throughout Hillsborough County. The event highlighted the district’s ongoing commitment to multilingual learners and the educators who support them every day. Read more...

The David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching hosted Emerging, Expanding, and Enduring Voices on March 26, 2026, in TECO Hall at the USF College of Education. The event brought members of the college community together to celebrate faculty scholarship, exchange ideas and explore how varied perspectives can help shape innovative responses to a changing educational landscape.

The program featured three distinguished faculty voices representing different dimensions of the College of Education community:

• Dr. Clarence V. Walker Jr., assistant professor, represented an emerging voice in educational research.
• Dr. Jenifer Jasinski Schneider, dean of the College of Education and a Fulbright scholar, contributed an expanding global perspective.
• Dr. Waynne James, emerita faculty member, shared an enduring voice grounded in a distinguished career in education.

Each speaker presented a brief faculty research talk highlighting insights from their scholarship and professional experience. The presentations were followed by a panel discussion and audience question-and-answer session moderated by Dr. Jose Castillo, creating opportunities for participants to consider connections among research, practice, experience and global engagement. Read more...

During spring 2026, the Anchin Center and USF College of Education partnered with two Tampa Bay school districts to strengthen mathematics instruction. Led by Dr. Sarah Trench, principal investigator for both projects, the initiatives were tailored to each district’s priorities.

In the School District of Manatee County, teachers explored three pillars of effective K–4 mathematics intervention: manipulatives with meaning, formative assessment and student talk. In Hillsborough County Public Schools, mathematics supervisors and coaches worked to develop a coherent K–12 vision focused on number lines, Florida’s Mathematical Thinking and Reasoning Standards, and future instructional materials adoption.

Together, these projects demonstrate how faculty expertise and district partnerships can translate grant-funded resources into practical, sustainable support for educators and students. Read more...

The University of South Florida College of Education and the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing welcomed approximately 200 participants to the 2026 AI in Education Summit. Sponsored by the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching, the two-day event was held June 9–10 at the Judy Genshaft Honors College on USF’s Tampa campus.

USF faculty and students joined practicing teachers, school and district leaders, researchers and technology professionals from across the region to explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in education. The summit created opportunities for participants with varying levels of AI experience to examine emerging technologies, engage with current research and develop practical strategies for using AI thoughtfully and effectively.

Four keynote speakers brought perspectives from education, computer science, industry, law and public policy. Presenters included Dr. John Licato and Dr. Karni Chagal-Feferkorn of the Bellini College; Dr. Zafer Unal of the College of Education; and Joe Brazier, an industry advisor at Microsoft.

Across both days, concurrent sessions and hands-on workshops addressed a wide range of topics, including AI-supported instruction, educator productivity, student creativity, digital and AI literacy, accessibility, classroom assessment and responsible AI use. Sessions also invited participants to consider complex questions surrounding ethics, equity, privacy and the importance of maintaining human-centered approaches as AI becomes increasingly present in educational settings. Read more...

On July 17, 2026, biology teachers from across the Tampa Bay area gathered in TECO Hall on the USF Tampa campus for the Amgen Biotech Experience Tampa Professional Development Institute.

ABE Tampa is a partnership among the Amgen Foundation, the University of South Florida and Tampa Bay-area high schools, with support from the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching. The program equips teachers with the training, resources and laboratory materials needed to provide authentic biotechnology learning experiences for their students.

Molecular genetics and biotechnology are consistently among the most challenging concepts for students to master. Authentic, hands-on biotechnology laboratories can also be difficult for schools to offer because of the cost of specialized equipment and materials. ABE Tampa helps address these barriers by providing educators with professional learning, ongoing implementation support and access to classroom-ready laboratory kits at no cost to their schools. Read more...

The David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching welcomed nearly 800 educators to the University of South Florida for the 2026 Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI), one of the Center’s flagship professional learning programs.

Participants represented 37 states and three countries—the United States, France and China—highlighting the extraordinary reach of USF’s APSI. The institute is the third-largest APSI in the world and brings together a diverse community of educators committed to strengthening Advanced Placement teaching and learning.

The 2026 institute was offered across three weeks, with one week conducted online and two weeks hosted on USF’s Tampa campus. During the four-day intensive sessions, participating educators deepened their understanding of AP course content, structure and instructional practices while preparing for the upcoming school year. Read more...

The David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching has selected Dr. Clarence V. Walker Jr. as its Fall 2026 Faculty Scholar in Residence.

The Anchin Center Scholar in Residence Program is a competitive opportunity designed to support USF College of Education faculty research, innovation and externally funded scholarship. Walker will receive a semester-long course release, providing dedicated time to advance research with strong potential for external funding, scholarly dissemination and applied impact in K–12 educational settings.

“Faculty members often have strong ideas for projects that connect research to the needs of schools and communities, but they also need dedicated time and collaborative support to move that work forward,” said Dr. Rachel Hatten, Anchin Center Director. “The Scholar in Residence Program is a direct investment in that work, and Dr. Walker’s expertise will strengthen the Center’s research partnerships and contribute to meaningful educational innovation.”

Walker is an assistant professor in the USF College of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning. His scholarship is situated at the intersections of social studies education, visual art and ethnic studies, and teacher preparation. His work explores how educators can use contemporary visual art to engage students with history, culture, identity and perspectives often marginalized in traditional curricula. He also examines approaches to preparing teachers to provide rigorous and responsive social studies instruction.

During his residency, Walker will develop a project plan or external grant proposal in partnership with the Anchin Center, submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal and share his research through the Anchin Center Faculty Speaker Series.

Read more about the 2026-2027 Anchin Faculty Scholars in Residence

Imagine a future where every classroom buzzes with the energy of innovation, where teachers are empowered to inspire young minds in new and profound ways. This vision is at the heart of the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching, and it's supporters like you who bring this dream to life.

Every day, your generosity helps us provide groundbreaking professional development, cutting-edge resources, and research opportunities that shape the educators of tomorrow. But there's more we can do, and that's where we need your help.

Please consider adding your support to foster the next wave of educational excellence. By making a donation today, you join other supporters in creating a legacy of learning that will resonate for generations.

Together, we can ensure that every teacher has the tools to unlock their full potential and, in turn, ignite the limitless curiosity of their students. Thank you for considering a gift to the Anchin Center. Your contribution is more than a donation; it's an investment in a future where education knows no bounds.

Email: AnchinCenter@usf.edu
Website: usf.edu/education/anchin
Location: 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, USA
Phone: 813-974-5959
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