The College of Education was established in 1995 by faculty and staff, who shared a bold vision for change and a commitment to the needs of the urban community. The conceptual framework, which includes the mission and vision of the College, was developed collectively by the members of the College and the community and reflects the beliefs and values of the faculty, staff, and students. The democratic structure of the SAW, or “School as a Whole,” offers faculty and staff unique opportunities to investigate, examine, and respond to the challenges of preparing educators for the 21st century.
The COE mission is to develop in COE students the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions to promote the academic, social, and psychological development of diverse learners in urban schools and related agencies. COE graduates become teachers, special educators, school administrators, educational technologists, researchers, program evaluators, school psychologists, counselors, rehabilitation professionals, higher education faculty, and other educational specialists. Within an environment of shared governance, COE professional preparation programs utilize data-driven decision-making, technology, integrated instruction, meaningful curricula, and outcome-based assessments to ensure high-quality educational opportunities for all COE students.
To support scholars in meeting their fullest potentials, the faculty, staff, and community members of the College believe in a continuous examination of all programs through collaborative effort and data-driven decision-making. At the heart of its mission are the following core values:
- Educational Equity
- Cultural, Ability, and Linguistic Diversity
- Inclusiveness, Inquiry, and Reflection
- Lifelong Learning
- Technology Integration
- Collaboration and Community Participation
- Accountability for Learner Outcomes
The College of Education is predominantly a graduate professional school that comprises about 8% of the university enrollment of 21,280 students and 43% of the university graduate student enrollment. The school enrollment of 1,700 students is culturally diverse with a student population that is approximately 57% Latino, 16% Caucasian, 12% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5% African-American, 1% American-Indian and 9% Unknown/International students. In addition, about 5% of the student population comes from out-of-state or foreign institutions.