UCLA Ed & IS Department of Education Rated Number One in US News & World Report Rankings

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UCLA Ed & IS Department of Education Rated Number One in US News & World Report Rankings

Graduate program focused on equity for urban schools, diversity tops list of nation’s best education schools.

The UCLA Department of Education has been named the number one graduate school of education in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The Department is known as a leader in the study of urban education and the development and support of teachers and school leaders strongly committed to social justice.  The graduate school is also home to a renowned center for innovation in research methods, evaluation and assessment; and is a leader in the study of higher education, including the work of the Higher Education Research Institute. Faculty members are deeply engaged in issues of race and poverty and their impact on educational opportunity in K-12 and higher education.

“We are humbled by this recognition,” says Wasserman Dean Marcelo Suárez-Orozco. “It is a tribute to the extraordinary collective work of our world-renowned scholars, our amazing staff, and our students — the next generation of engaged, optimist Bruins taking their GSE&IS tools to make the world a better place. While it is important to keep these rankings in perspective, we are both gratified and grateful for the honor.”

A total of 385 schools of education were reviewed by U.S. News and World Report and rated on research activity, number of faculty with awards or editorships among selected journals, student-faculty ratio, student selectivity, and assessment by peer deans and education professionals.

GSE&IS leaders underscore that the UCLA Department of Education is part of a public university, and that the program has developed into one of nation’s top schools of education while furthering its commitment to diversity, equity and social justice.  More than 70 percent of the graduate students are people of color who reflect the diversity of Los Angeles. The faculty is majority-minority, demonstrating that diversity is excellence.

The Department is deeply committed to increasing educational opportunities for all students. The work of the department shapes the most important practices and research in critical educational issues. Faculty and staff are preparing teachers and school leaders to succeed in low-income urban schools, developing effective instructional practices, and promoting new models of community schooling. A new center seeks to transform schools so that they can better serve all students.  There is also a significant effort to address educational equity and protect the civil rights of students and the communities in which they live. Included in this effort is an focus to prevent children from entering the child welfare system while building the capacity of educators and others better address their needs. Scholars are deeply engaged in the study of the impact of migration on education and to address the educational needs of immigrant children.  Other faculty are conducting research and developing strategies to serve children with autism and other learning challenges.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this ranking and the honor that comes with it,” said Tina Christie, the Chair of the UCLA Department of Education. “It is a reflection of the excellence in our programs, the talent of our students, and our extremely dedicated and outstanding faculty and staff. I thank our community for working so hard, every day, to achieve this recognition.

For more information about the UCLA Department of Education at the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, visit this link.

Authors: Joanie Harmon & John McDonald

Source publication: Ampersand: UCLA Ed & IS Online Magazine