History of the School of Education

The School of Education was founded in 1962. Between 1962 and 1990, the School was a relatively small operation with a dean, fewer than 500 students, 20 full-time faculty members, a small number of part-timers, and minimal staff. In 1989, the School became part of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a status that continued for three years. This move came on the heels of the Holmes Report. University President Father John Richardson participated on the Illinois Blue Ribbon Task Force related to teacher preparation. He believed that the home of the teacher preparation endeavor should be in Arts and Sciences and acted accordingly. With the retirement of Father Richardson and the establishment of the post of Provost, filled by Dr. Gladys Johnston, the School was restored to a freestanding school and a national search for a new Dean was conducted. At the same time, but independent of these developments, the faculty developed an innovative master's degree option for those who wished to change careers and become educators. This option, along with the change in the School administrative status, fueled a rapid transformation of the School over the past decade.

Also within this decade, the School developed its focus, philosophy, and commitment to urban, professional, multicultural education. During this same period, the School significantly diversified its students, faculty, and staff. The faculty recently developed several new programs, including three new master's programs in Bilingual/Bicultural Education, Visual Arts Education, and Special Education.

In 2004, the School received continuing accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). NCATE accreditation informs the public that an institution has met state, professional and institutional standards of educational quality. DePaul's Education Program was among the first in the state of Illinois to become NCATE accredited (in 1965) and has maintained this accreditation throughout the years.

Members of the School staff and faculty have enhanced its reputation within the local educational scene in a variety of ways, ranging from consulting and service outreach work to creating partnership programs with schools, districts, and other educational agencies. The School is recognized by local educators as developing well-prepared teachers and school leaders who contribute to improvement in urban schools.

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