Out of the growing need to train and instruct those who would fill the leadership positions of the developing state’s public schools, the University of Florida Normal School (the predecessor to the College of Education) was opened for teacher education, a 110 years ago.
Since its 1906 founding, Florida’s flagship education school has produced exemplary educators and leaders who have contributed significantly in transforming education, strengthening society and empowering education leaders to meet the needs of all learners. Success of our graduates, national recognition of our programs and faculty, our rich heritage and our promise for future achievements: These are the roots that nourish our pride as Florida EduGators—past, present and future.
A college rich with history…
1906 – Present
Spanning several generations, UF College of Education faculty scholars have been pioneers in landmark initiatives. Following we celebrate highlights of the past 110 years.
Your College of Education: TODAY
This year, the University of Florida College of Education marks a century-plus-10 of pushing the boundaries of educator preparation, molding future leaders and changing the face of teaching and learning in our global society.
KEY INITIATIVES of the contemporary College include:
America’s Best in Online Education
To kick off the new year in 2016, U.S. News & World Report ranked the UF College of Education’s online graduate education program No. 1 in the country.
Early childhood studies
Working through the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, UF faculty researchers in multiple disciplines work with local, state and national partners to advance knowledge, policy and practices in early childhood studies to support young children’s health, learning, development and well-being.
Professional Learning Systems
The College’s Lastinger Center harnesses the university’s intellectual resources and partners with educational organizations to develop and field-test learning system models that transform teaching, improve learning and promote healthy child development.
Teacher-coaching academy
Through its new UF Coaching Academy, the UF Lastinger Center for Learning offers a field-tested system of collaborative, instructional teacher coaching to advance teaching and learning in a wide array of subject areas, with a certificate program documenting the newly trained coaches’ competency.
Better teaching for
students with disabilities
Faculty scholars in UF’s nationally ranked special education program received the largest grant ever awarded by the federal Office of Special Education Programs, to create and lead a national center aimed at helping 20 states transform their preparation of teachers and principals serving students with disabilities.
Elementary teacher preparation
With funding from the Florida Department of Education, UF last year created one of four state centers devoted to transforming Florida’s elementary teacher prep programs.
Trail-blazing STEM Ed initiatives
The College has launched several bold initiatives in STEM education to strengthen science, technology and math instruction in our own backyard and across the state and nation. Activities range from statewide induction programs for novice teachers and online tutoring apps for algebra students, to aggressive recruitment and coaching programs for science and math teachers in high-poverty schools.
P.K. Yonge DRS
A school that works—by design: Inspired by the early impact of a new, state-of-the-art elementary wing at UF’s P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, PKY and UF researchers are exploring how innovative, 21st century school architecture and classroom design impacts teaching and learning.
Algebra Nation
Help for struggling math students: Since 2013, more than a quarter-million students and 3,300 teachers in all 67 Florida counties have taken advantage of Algebra Nation, a powerful, online tutoring resource developed at UF that gives students access to some of the state’s best math teachers and e-learning resources.
Share Your EduGator Story
Our College’s history is made up of thousands of stories. They are the stories of those who studied here, taught here, conducted research here or stood arm-in-arm with those who did. Are you a student, alum, faculty member, former faculty or staff member? Or, are you simply someone with an experience you’d like to share about the College of Education? Tell it by clicking below.
Share Your Story
Looking Ahead
The University of Florida’s strategic push for national preeminence, backed by the Florida Legislature, reflects a new chapter not only in UF’s history, but also in the College of Education’s. The goal: to make our highly regarded College of Education even greater.
Recent successes—such as setting new standards for research funding (more than $86 million in 2015 grant holdings) and jumping 12 spots to No. 1 in the 2016 U.S. News & World Report rankings of America’s Best Online Graduate Education programs—show that our chosen direction (always moving forward) is the right one.
The future is ultra-bright. The College is well-positioned to strengthen its leadership role in establishing the models and paradigms that will define and shape education deep into the 21st century—in Florida, the nation and beyond.
