About the College
Who We Are
The University of Florida College of Education, founded in 1906, consistently ranks among the top 25 among public education schools in the elite Association of American Universities.
The college’s distinguished professors and their graduate students aggressively pursue vital, interdisciplinary research that is making a dramatic impact on teaching and learning, education policy, and leadership in all education disciplines. By partnering with public schools and communities across the state, UF education faculty engage in novel scholarship and research activities that enhance “whole school“ improvement, student achievement, early-childhood readiness, teacher preparation and retention, and classroom technology advances.
Teaching is just one of several career paths that UF education students can choose from: Nearly 1,700 students are enrolled on campus in 18 bachelor’s and advanced degree programs, within eight academic specialties: • Counselor Education • Educational Administration & Policy • Education Technology • K-12 Education • Literacy Studies • Research and Evaluation Methods.• School Psychology • Special Education and Early Childhood Studies.
Accreditation
The college’s educator preparation programs have been continuously accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) since 1954.
National Rankings
According to the latest U.S. News rankings of America’s Best Graduate Schools, UF’s College of Education is the highest rated education college in both Florida and among public institutions in the Southeastern Conference. Nationally, the college rated 30th among public education schools and 40th overall.
Five individual academic programs also were nationally ranked:
Special Education – 6th
Student Counseling/Personnel Services – 8th
Elementary Teacher Education – 18th
Curriculum and Instruction — 18th
Education Administration & Supervision – 20th
(Source: U.S. News and World Report rankings of America’s Best Graduate Schools)
Schools & Program Areas
- School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education
- School of Special Education, School Psychology and Early Childhood Studies
- Special Education • School Psychology • Early Childhood Studies ( birth-age 5 ) • Unified Early Childhood ProTeach ( birth-age 8 ) • Unified Elementary ProTeach
- School of Teaching and Learning
- Curriculum, Teaching & Teacher Education • Education Technology • Elementary Education • English Education • ESOL/Bilingual Education • Language Arts & Children’s Literature • Literacy & the Arts • Mathematics Education • Reading Education • Science & Environmental Education • SITE: Alternative Certification • Social Studies Education • Teacher Leadership for School Improvement • UFTeach • Unified Elementary ProTeach
Affiliates & Centers
P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School
Since its 1934 founding, UF’s renowned laboratory school has served as a center of innovative educational program development and dissemination for K-12 students.
Center for Community Education
Helps communities develop educational programs to meet the changing needs of citizens.
Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies
In 2010, the College spearheaded UF’s creation of this interdisciplinary, universitywide center as a model training, demonstration and research site–with UF’s Baby Gator Child Development and Research Center as its hub. UF scholars—in fields as diverse as education, medicine, law, public health and the life sciences—work with local, state and national partners to advance the science and practice of early childhood development and enhance early learning opportunities and healthy development for our youngest children.
CEEDAR Center (Collaboration for Educator Development, Accountability and Reform)
The federal Office of Special Education Programs awarded $25 million–its largest grant ever–to the college in 2013 to create this multi-institutional center at UF, charged with restructuring and improving the development of effective educators serving students with disabilities in 20 states.
Center for Disability Policy and Practice
Fosters interdisciplinary research and training activities to improve learning and classroom achievement for children with special needs.
Institute for Higher Education
UF resident faculty provide mentoring, networking and continuing professional development opportunities for higher education practitioners and leaders, with emphasis on Florida community colleges and college access for underrepresented groups.
Lastinger Center for Learning
This education innovation incubator harnesses the university’s intellectual resources and partners with educational organizations to design, build and field-test learning system models that transform teaching, improve learning and promote health child development.
Key Initiatives: Public Scholarship
- The prototype, award-winning Florida Master Teacher Initiative provides tuition-free, on-the-job advanced degree programs, blending on-site and online course work, letting Florida teachers at partnering high-needs schools earn advanced education degrees while remaining in their own classrooms.
- A shared $10-million grant is helping UF and partnering community groups roll out a statewide school-readiness program for at-risk pre-schoolers, starting in Miami-Dade County;
- The College can count at least eight key initiatives in STEM education–including the renowned UFTeach and HHMI Science for Life programs–that are helping to close the critical gap in mathematics and science education;
- Special education researchers, currently holding some $23 million dollars in federal grants, are strengthening teaching and learning in public schools for students with disabilities.
- UF’s P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School completed construction in spring 2012 on its new elementary building–part of a total campus revitalization effort that will transform the college’s K-12 lab school in to amodel learning community and technological powerhouse.
