The Wallace Foundation (The Neag School to participate with initiative to improve how aspiring principals are trained, and then share the results)
More Evidence That Charter Schools Are America’s New Subprime Mortgages
Business Insider (Neag School’s Preston Green is interviewed in this article relating charter schools to the subprime-mortgage crisis)
Wallace Foundation Names Neag School Part of $47M Principal Preparation Program Initiative
University of Connecticut Selected by New York-based Wallace Foundation to Participate in $47 Million Initiative to Improve How Aspiring Principals Are Trained and to Be Part of a National Effort to Share Lessons with the Broader Field
UConn to redesign program in collaboration with state and local school districts
The Wallace Foundation has selected the University of Connecticut to participate in a $47 million national initiative to develop models over the next four years for improving university principal preparation programs and to examine state policy to see if it could be strengthened to encourage higher-quality training statewide. An independent study will capture lessons from the participating universities and their partners, to be shared with policymakers and practitioners across the country.
UConn, one of seven universities selected by the foundation, will get guidance on redesigning its UConn Administrator Preparation Program, known for high-quality training and offered through the University’s Neag School of Education. In addition, UConn’s Neag School will form partnerships with Hartford, Meriden, and New Haven Public Schools, which hire the program’s graduates. The idea is not only to ensure that the training is revamped with local school needs in mind, but also to develop research-based training elements, such as providing candidates with rigorous internships in schools, which require close cooperation with school districts.
“We’re thrilled to be in such great company as a part of this nationwide effort and are ready to work together in taking these types of programs to a new level.” Richard Gonzales, assistant professor-in-residence and director of the Neag School’s Educational Leadership Preparation Programs
UConn’s Neag School, along with district partners and the Connecticut State Department of Education, will receive in the first year $1.25 million to take on this work, with $5.45 million projected in total over the life of the project.
The UConn Administrators Preparation Program (UCAPP) offers aspiring school administrators an opportunity to earn a sixth-year diploma in educational administration through UConn’s Neag School of Education. Graduates may also be eligible for certification endorsement as an intermediate administrator in the state of Connecticut.
Four distinct preparation experiences are available through UCAPP — Traditional; Preparing Leaders for Urban Schools (PLUS); Residency; and Law — with each track based on a cohort model. The UConn program enrolls about 100 students, with eight full-time and 12 adjunct faculty members. Redesign partners include the Connecticut State Department of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, and NYC Leadership Academy. More information about UCAPP is available at ucapp.education.uconn.edu.
“The Wallace Foundation’s selection of UConn to be a part of this new initiative exemplifies the incredible teamwork and deep commitment of our faculty here at UConn’s Neag School, along with our partner school districts and the Connecticut State Department of Education,” says Assistant Professor-in-Residence Richard Gonzales, director the Neag School’s Educational Leadership Preparation Programs. “Our principal preparation program, UCAPP, has long been dedicated to advancing the leadership skills of our public school principals — ultimately, so that schools across our communities can support all students in fulfilling their highest potential. We’re thrilled to be in such great company as a part of this nationwide effort and are ready to work together in taking these types of programs to a new level.”
“We know from research that school principals require excellent training with high-quality, practical experiences to become effective leaders — but most are simply not getting this,” says Will Miller, president of The Wallace Foundation. “Because many school districts don’t have the capacity to train as many principals as they need or to train future principals at all, the best way to reach more aspiring school leaders is through the university programs that typically provide needed certification. We are confident that the selected universities want to raise the bar for their programs, work in partnership with their local school districts, and serve as models for other universities.”
The Wallace Foundation was interested in finding university programs that serve districts with large numbers of disadvantaged students, whose schools could particularly benefit from effective school leadership. After a selection process that included site visits and assistance from experts in state policy and education, the foundation selected these six other universities: Albany State University (Georgia), Florida Atlantic University, North Carolina State University, San Diego State University (California), Virginia State University, and Western Kentucky University.
The seven states in which the universities are located will receive funding to review their policies pertaining to university-based principal training and determine if changes — such as program accreditation and principal licensure or certification requirements — would encourage the development of more effective preparation programs statewide.
“We, as well as our partners, are looking forward to sharing in this collaborative effort and are certainly gratified to have been chosen by the Wallace Foundation to take part,” says Neag School Dean Gladis Kersaint. “We want to do all we can to ensure that aspiring principals continue to be fully prepared for the ever-evolving challenges of the job.”
The University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI) builds on 15 years of Wallace-supported research and experience about what makes for effective principals and their “pre-service” training at universities. The initiative seeks to explore how university programs can improve their training so it reflects the evidence on how best to prepare effective principals, and then to share these insights to benefit the broader field.
The foundation hopes the initiative can contribute over the long term to the development of a new national approach to preparing effective principals, one focusing on evidence-based policies and practices in three areas:
- Developing and implementing high-quality courses of study with practical, on-the-job experiences
- Putting in place strong university-district partnerships
- Developing state policies about program accreditation, principal licensure or certification, and other matters (funded internships, for example) to promote more effective training statewide
The initiative aims to address a longstanding concern that many university programs haven’t kept pace with the growing demands of the principalship, especially as the job moves increasingly from a focus on building management to a focus on improving instruction. According to a recent Wallace-commissioned study, Improving University Principal Preparation Programs: Five Themes From the Field, 80 percent of district superintendents are dissatisfied with the quality of principal preparation programs, and many universities also believe their programs have room for improvement.
“The more we talk with education leaders, no matter at what level of the education system, from state to university to district, the more we hear it is the right time to conduct a university-focused initiative like this,” says Jody Spiro, director of education leadership at Wallace. “We are seeking to learn how these seven universities accomplish their program redesign as an important first step in improving how principals are prepared for the demanding job of leading school improvement across the country.”
RAND Corporation will conduct an independent evaluation of the initiative over four years, with a final report in year five. The study will assess how the participating universities go about trying to implement high-quality courses of study and to form strong partnerships with local, high-needs school districts. A series of public reports will share lessons and insights and describe whatever credible models emerge so that other universities, districts and states can adopt or adapt the initiative work.
About the Wallace Foundation
The Wallace Foundation seeks to improve education and enrichment for disadvantaged children and foster the vitality of arts for everyone. The foundation has an unusual approach: funding efforts to test innovative ideas for solving important public problems, conducting research to find out what works and what doesn’t and to fill key knowledge gaps – and then communicating the results to help others. Wallace, which works nationally, has five major initiatives under way:
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School leadership: Strengthening education leadership to improve student achievement.
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Afterschool: Helping selected cities make good afterschool programs available to many more children.
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Building audiences for the arts: Enabling arts organizations to bring the arts to a broader and more diverse group of people.
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Arts education: Expanding arts learning opportunities for children and teens.
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Summer and expanded learning: Better understanding the impact of high-quality summer learning programs on disadvantaged children, and enriching and expanding the school day in ways that benefit students.
Find out more at wallacefoundation.org.
Read the national news release here.
10 Questions With First-Year Teachers in Puerto Rico
In this new series, the Neag School is catching up with students, alumni, faculty, and others throughout the year to give you a glimpse into their Neag School experience and their current career, research, or community activities.
Two Neag School alumni, Gabe Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA, and Jill Linares ’14 (CLAS), ’15 MA, spent this past academic year — their first year of teaching — at Guamani Private School in Guayama, Puerto Rico. There, Castro teaches seventh-grade pre-algebra; ninth-grade and 10th-grade geometry; 11th-grade algebra II; and 12th-grade college math; Linares teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English. They now both remain in Puerto Rico as they start in on their second year of teaching. Both Castro and Linares are graduates of the Neag School’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program.
1. Why did you decide to work in Puerto Rico?
GC: During my time at UConn, I wanted to study abroad, but I switched into the education program late. The desire to study abroad transformed into wanting to teach abroad. Although originally I wanted to move to a Spanish-speaking country, Puerto Rico was not on my list of schools I was looking at. However, during the interview process I was able to connect with both the director and principal of the high school there. They told me I would be teaching the age and topics I desired and even offered me housing. For me, making the move to Puerto Rico would be everything I was looking for as an educator.
JL: I wanted to become fluent in Spanish. I also wanted a change of pace from growing up in New York City, and I must be honest – the weather certainly was an appeal.
2. How was the transition to teaching in Puerto Rico, and how were you prepared?
GC: As a first-year teacher, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how to prepare. From my student teaching experience and the master’s internship at the Neag School, I am used to having a set curriculum to follow. At the private school in Puerto Rico, I am free to choose how I want to structure my curriculum. In addition, I had never taught in a block schedule before, so having students for 90 minutes every other day was an adjustment.
JL: I don’t think the foreign aspect was any more daunting than the first year of teaching aspect.
3. What was it like during your first month of teaching?
GC: The first month of my first-year teaching was nothing like I expected. I thought I was going to step in front of my classes and groove, but that’s not what happened. Truthfully, I struggled to keep organized with four preps and setting up my classroom routines. Seeing students every other day was not what I was used to. So if I had to talk to a student for any particular reason, I needed to make sure to write it down for the next day. After the first month, I finally started getting in my rhythm and had my routine in and out of the classroom.
JL: I made sure to go over the procedures of my classroom thoroughly in order to get students familiar with what our class would be like. We played icebreaker games and students all wrote me a letter as a part of their first assignment, so I could get to know them and their families. I wrote all 98 of my students a personal letter back, which took a lot of time, but was so worth it. I will most certainly be using that assignment again this upcoming year.
“The first month of my first-year teaching was nothing like I expected. I thought I was going to step in front of my classes and groove, but that’s not what happened.” Gabe Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA
4. Were you homesick, and how did you stay in touch with family/friends back in the U.S.?
GC: Having lived away from home for five years, three of which I had my own apartment, I am used to being away from my family and friends. However, knowing I had to fly to be back home was an adjustment. Thankfully with technology, I am able to Skype and FaceTime with friends and family regularly.
JL: I didn’t really get homesick to be honest. I flew back home a couple weekends for family functions, and people came to visit me. It’s only a four-hour flight, which makes the travel to and from just a small bump in the road. FaceTime is a great way to “be there” when I can’t be there.
5. What were some of your favorite moments during the past year?
GC: Jill brought down [fellow alum] Justis Lopez ’14 (ED), ’15 MA to guest teach in one of her classes. I decided to piggyback off of Justis being in Puerto Rico to do my unit in math poetry. While he was in the area, he spoke to my group of seniors about his journey as a poet and what it has done for him. [The students’] poems were designed to target mathematics, the Castro Classroom Experience, and their time at Guamani School as a whole. To set the example, I wrote a poem for them that I read aloud after they had finished their finals.
JL: My favorite moments were when students would give me feedback on their end-of-semester reflections. I like to hear what students have to say, so their anonymous surveys help me to better address their needs for the future. It’s a great way to peek into their minds without them feeling uncomfortable about what they “should say.”
6. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
GC: Something trivial, but challenging for me was having my laptop snap apart during the first semester. Everyone always advises you to back up files on hard drives and on clouds, but it takes losing your files to realize how important that really is. Thankfully, I had only lost about a month and a half’s worth of lessons and ideas, but now I’ve learned my lesson: Always back up my files!
JL: Our school did not have a copy machine that teachers could use. In fact, we could only request to get copies if we had a test and, if approved, we only got one class set, no matter how many classes took that exam. This was a perplexing challenge in the beginning, but I learned how to use technology as a means or replacing paper almost completely.
7. What have you liked about working there?
GC: One of the things that I have liked the most is the school spirit these kids have. There are two major sport tournaments in each of the semesters: one volleyball and one basketball. The school sells T-shirts to raise money, but it is also a free entrance to the event. At each tournament, students are there in their shirts cheering each other on.
JL: I love how motivated the students are. They are absolutely brilliant and amaze me all the time. They are eager to learn and by being bilingual, they bring a whole new perspective with them to class every day.
8. Would you recommend others to teach abroad?
GC: I highly recommend teaching abroad. Although I never studied abroad, I can imagine this experience has surpassed what that would have been. You are embracing another culture, experiencing what their style of living is like, exploring new land, and establishing connections with people that will last a lifetime. For those interested, I encourage them to seek this opportunity.
JL: At this point in my life I think it is the best time — if ever — to teach abroad. I am not married; I don’t have any kids, and no permanent obligations to be anywhere. I don’t think teaching abroad is for everyone, but it has certainly positively impacted my life immensely. If a teacher who is “thinking about it” asked me for advice, I would tell him/her to do it! But I don’t think it would be good for those who aren’t interested in it. It’s the type of experience a person needs to decide on his/her own.
9. How did the Neag School prepare you for this experience?
GC: I think that it is tough to prepare teachers to teach in another country. That being said, the Neag School did an amazing job teaching me how to reach different styles of learners. Being aware that not every student is going to understand something the first time or the first way you teach it, but being able to change and adapt to your students’ needs is crucial.
JL: To be completely honest, I was terrified after undergrad once I finished my student teaching. I believe that I felt most prepared after my fifth year. My methods class with Wendy Glenn helped a lot, so did my Teaching Young Adult Literature class with Wendy. Leadership with Erica Fernandez was also an immense help and put me on track to get ahead with my lessons early on. Professors who gave me advice one-on-one helped prepare me in finding the right “fit” [were] David Moss, Mark Kohan, and Wendy.
10. How has your perspective on teaching in Puerto Rico changed your outlook on teaching?
GC: Society likes to put labels on types of people. If you are a certain race or ethnicity, you should or will normally behave a particular way. Although there are cultural norms teachers should be aware of, they should also seek to incorporate them in the classroom. When teachers share with students personal anecdotes about their lives, students reciprocate that. Not only are students learning the content, but also learning from each other.
JL: I like that I am often put in a language-learner’s position. I can empathize with my students who are struggling with learning the language or even grasping a concept. When speaking in Spanish, I often feel stuck — like I can’t articulate myself well enough, which is very frustrating, of course. I see the benefit in this because it builds my patience and forces me to look at language acquisition through a different perspective, that I think most teachers don’t get.
Learn more about the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s (IB/M) program at the Neag School here.
Noyce Scholarships Offer Opportunity, Support for Careers in Teaching Science
Arthur Lerner did not see a career as a teacher in his future — that is, until a newspaper article about a teaching program offered by UConn’s Neag School of Education caught his eye.
Founder of Connecticut-based nonprofit FRESH (Food: Resources, Education, Security, Health) New London, Lerner has long pursued a mission of educating the community — principally children and senior citizens — about healthy food. With New London among the lowest-ranked towns in Connecticut in terms of food security[1], the organization developed out of an effort to help bridge the gap between low-income community members and access to local, healthful, and sustainable foods.
Lerner says he has always lived with a passion for nature and sustainability. After founding FRESH New London in 2004 and working there for more than 10 years, he was ready to try similar work, but in a different capacity.
The Neag School’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) seemed a perfect fit — in addition to offering extraordinary financial support. The 11-month program, in which students earn a master’s degree in education as well as teaching certification, was awarded a $1.2 million grant last year to sponsor aspiring teachers at UConn’s Avery Point campus — an average of six future teachers per year for four years. The grant, known as the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, is funded by the National Science Foundation and was created to provide higher education institutions nationwide with scholarship funding and other financial support for aspiring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers.
Thanks to his $30,000 Noyce grant, 43-year-old Lerner is now advancing his education through TCPCG at the Avery Point campus. The scholarship is helping to create a smooth transition for him as he goes from nonprofit work to pursuing a career as a biology teacher.
“I was doing informal education [with FRESH], and now I’m doing formal education,” Lerner says.
TCPCG encourages master’s candidates who have an undergraduate degree in a STEM field and who plan to study at the Avery Point campus to apply for the grant upon acceptance to the program. It is an accelerated program in which candidates earn both a STEM teaching certification and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. Students from nontraditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Completion of the program with the Noyce scholarship requires a two-year commitment to teaching at a high-needs school after the 11-month program, an aspect that Lerner found especially appealing.
“I’m into helping marginalized communities,” Lerner says. “It was serendipity to me; it also has a philosophy that fits me.”
“When you find a way to connect, that’s what teaching is there for, and it’s empowering and beautiful.” Arthur Lerner, Noyce Scholar and current student in the Neag School’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates
Like-Minded People
TCPCG alumna Beth Raynor ’11 MA, also a Noyce Scholar and today a biology teacher at Manchester High, majored in art history and minored in biology during her undergraduate years at Wheaton College. After spending a few years working in the different art fields and curating art galleries, Raynor realized that she missed the field of science.
Raynor found the TCPCG program online while working to get another undergraduate degree in biology at UConn. For her, obtaining a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, along with a STEM teaching certificate, in less than one year was the right fit, as opposed to seeking to complete the degree and earn certification separately over time. The strong sense of camaraderie between students in the program and their teachers and mentors was another powerful aspect of the program for her.
“Finding like-minded people was the main thing that helped me get through it,” Raynor says. “I truly believe that TCPCG has great faculty and staff that taught me everything I needed to know.”
The TCPCG curriculum is divided into three parts: The first part is 12 weeks of coursework in the classroom, completing state requirements for becoming a STEM teacher; the second part centers on student teaching at a nearby school district; and the third part involves students firsthand in research focused on improving some aspect of a school, as well additional coursework on campus.
Raynor’s passion for helping students in high-needs school districts was another key factor in joining the program. TCPCG, she says, is “putting people who are extremely well educated and who are driven and passionate about what they do in these schools. We’re really targeting a need that hasn’t been addressed up until now, and I think that’s really effective.”
‘Empowering and Beautiful’
According to Neag School Professor John Settlage, the TCPCG site director at UConn’s Avery Point campus, the student teaching experience during the second part of the program tends to focus, at first, on mentoring. In order to gain exposure before student teaching begins in earnest, TCPCG students teach at a middle school science camp for a week before going into the traditional classroom. They then gradually transition from mentoring and watching the classroom teacher lead the lesson to taking over their roles, from writing tests to running parent-teacher conferences, Settlage says.
“Student teaching is the hardest part, because you’re not permanent, so everything is off-balance,” Lerner says. But “I gave my students a [Neil deGrasse Tyson] video to watch for homework, and when they came in, they all had done it. When you find a way to connect, that’s what teaching is there for, and it’s empowering and beautiful.”
Connecticut requires teachers to get a master’s degree within five years of getting certified; TCPCG takes care of all that, Settlage says. “It’s a combination of being very rigorous and very practical,” he says. “The more we blend those, the better.”
The program is rigorous in learning and practical in applying, Settlage says. After intense classroom work, students get the opportunity to apply that knowledge before embarking on their teaching career.
Raynor says she found that, after completing TCPCG, she was not only able to compete for job interviews, but also seemed to have a less difficult transition to becoming a teacher than some of her peers who had not gone through such a program. “My first year of teaching was hard, but it wasn’t as hard as other people I’ve talked to,” she says.
For aspiring teachers looking to go into the STEM field, Settlage thinks of Connecticut as a playground of career options, particularly, he adds, given that not many other competing schools of education in the region are focused specifically on STEM education.
“Be prepared to work; be prepared to question yourself and your previous knowledge of what education is,” Raynor says. “I can’t speak highly enough about this program. You really will probably be among the top prepared teachers in the country.”
Learn more about the Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates at Avery Point and Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship here.
[1] According to a joint report by the Connecticut Food Policy Council, University of Connecticut, and Hartford Food System
Q&A: Get to Know the Neag School’s New Dean, Gladis Kersaint
Editor’s Note: This past summer, the Neag School of Education welcomed Professor Gladis Kersaint as dean. Dean Kersaint most recently served as professor of mathematics and associate dean of academic affairs and research for the College of Education at the University of South Florida. Here, she sits down to share insight into her background as well as her vision for the Neag School going forward.
Q: How did you come to pursue a career in the field of education, and specifically in the discipline of math?
A: As a student, I had always excelled in mathematics and was often encouraged to pursue career options that would enable me to utilize those skills. Although I’ve always known I wanted to teach, I was influenced by others who saw the potential in me, as a black female, to be successful in technical fields — computer science or engineering, for example. So as an undergraduate, I majored in mathematics with a minor in computer science. I also had an opportunity to work in industry, which allowed me to consider what I really wanted for my life. Ultimately, I decided that, over the long haul, I wanted to pursue a career that I could be passionate about. For me, that was teaching. So, I became a high school mathematics teacher, then a mathematics education professor.
Q: What kinds of issues in education have been of the greatest interest to you and your scholarly research up to this point in your career, and why?
A: I believe all students can learn mathematics if they are taught the subject matter in an engaging manner. Because of that, I have spent my career as a mathematics teacher educator examining factors that influence mathematics teaching and learning — for example, how we prepare teachers of mathematics, how we support at-risk learners (including English Learners in mathematics classrooms), and how technology can be used to support mathematics teaching and learning. Overall, the aim of my work has been to improve access and opportunities for students to fully engage in, and excel in, mathematics.
I also believe supporting teachers in their work and providing them professional development opportunities — to collaborate to improve the context for learning, to continue to explore pedagogical approaches to help students make sense of mathematics, and to grow professionally — is the best approach to ensuring that students are given the best opportunities to learn mathematics.
“I see the Neag School role as not just doing, but leading — that is, leading efforts to generate new knowledge, influence practice, and inform the public discourse.” Neag School of Education Dean Gladis Kersaint
Q: What specifically about UConn’s Neag School of Education and its work drew you to learn more about the position of dean?
A: I have been an administrator for a number of years and had been encouraged to pursue a deanship for several years. I was fortunate to have had a great professional home at the University of South Florida (USF), so I had decided that I would not leave USF unless I had a compelling reason to do so. The University of Connecticut provided that compelling reason. Overall, having a position as a dean was not the most important thing to me. It was finding a dean’s position at the appropriate institution.
As I engaged with UConn, I learned about the growth it had been experiencing and the direction it was taking. I also found that the University’s interests and the Neag School’s strategic plans were well-connected to my own interests; they were something that I could get behind. As I learned more about the Neag School, I was drawn in by the people. Everyone I met was very positive about the School and its outlook. The School’s scholars are all well-respected in their field, are doing wonderful work, and had very positive views about the School.
I accepted the position because I felt it was a space in which I could contribute and continue to learn and grow.
Q: What has your experience as dean of the Neag School been like so far? What have you enjoyed most during your first few months in this position?
A: Thus far, my experiences have been fantastic. Coming from Florida, I have much to learn about Connecticut and its education system, the University, and its faculty. Over the past several months, I have been listening and learning, which I have been really enjoying. I have committed to meeting each faculty member for one-on-one conversations to learn about them and their vision for the Neag School. So far I have met with many faculty and all of the Neag School staff, and our conversations have helped me to identify areas in need of attention as I collaborate with faculty and staff to enhance the reputation of the School.
I have also been meeting with the various professional groups that represent our various constituents, including the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, Connecticut Association of Schools, members of the Connecticut State Department of Education, as well as deans from other public and private colleges and schools of education across the state. These conversations have helped me to better understand the schooling context in Connecticut and allows me to consider the ways in which the Neag School can collaborate with others to enhance opportunities for teachers, leaders, school counselors, sports managers and other service providers, and learners.
Q: What strengths will you bring to the deanship?
A: I come to UConn with a history of collaborative engagement with key stakeholders. My own scholarship has involved collaborative efforts with other faculty, other university units, other universities, and a broad range of school districts in various contexts, including rural, suburban, and urban. These experiences provide insights I can use as I learn more about Connecticut and its schooling context, and positions me to be a contributor in addressing some of the challenges facing education today.
From the administrative perspective, I have served in a number of administrative roles, including associate dean, that have exposed me to all aspects of higher education — from research to personnel and building support and service structures. In addition, I was fortunate to have been one of the inaugural participants in USF’s Professional Development in Higher Education Leadership program, which exposed me to aspects of higher education that I would not have been exposed to as an administrator in the college of education. There were sessions that included topics like athletics, health sciences, and risk management.
Having a broad understanding of all key facets of the higher education enterprise provided me with a greater understanding about how all the various components fit together and can be leveraged to support the overall enhancement of the University.
Collectively, I hope to use my knowledge and experiences to make sound decisions to enhance the programs and provide greater opportunities to faculty, staff, and students.
Q: What would you like the Neag School’s faculty, students, and alumni to know about your vision for the School going forward?
A: I see the Neag School role as not just doing, but leading — that is, leading efforts to generate new knowledge, influence practice, and inform the public discourse. The faculty and students in the Neag School are doing wonderful things, and it is my goal to enhance their visibility and impact, while generating new sources of funds to support them in achieving their goals.
Q: What sorts of initiatives are you interested in seeing the Neag School establish in the next few years?
A: Although I am still continuing to listen, learn, and solidify ideas, I have identified two areas in which I would like to focus my attention.
First, I have heard from many stakeholders of the need to diversify the educator workforce. This is an area in which the Neag School has made great strides: For example, 20 percent of our Fall 2016 cohort are students of color. But we will continue to explore ways to support diversity by actively recruiting high-quality students of color — as well as men of all races to become elementary school teachers, which is another area of need.
Second, I would like to expand opportunities for Neag School students to engage in global education opportunities. Global education experiences allow our students to gain a greater understanding about the world and to begin to consider their roles in preparing students to be competitive, not just in the local environment, but throughout the world.
Q: What do you believe are the most important challenges facing the Neag School at this time in its history?
A: A challenge for the Neag School will be prioritizing the issues that the stakeholders would like to address and opportunities that may be available. As I talk to stakeholders, I learn of the many ways in which they would like to partner with the Neag School faculty to solve important and timely issues. Although we recognize the need, we are often limited by the resources — human, fiscal, and capital. We must continue to deliver high-quality programs while we engage in rigorous research. Unfortunately, this means that we can’t do all the work that we are interested in doing.
Q: How would you define success for the Neag School?
A: Success, to me, is defined by the success of our faculty and students, the ways we engage with and contribute to the local and national context, and in our attention to our four pillars — equity and social justice, creativity and innovation, educator quality and effectiveness, and STEM education.
Q: What is most important to you as a leader?
A: That I leave the Neag School in a better position than it is today. This will be a challenge because the Neag School already has a great reputation, great faculty, and great students. My job as a leader will be to see potential and provide opportunities to grow, enhance, and excel.
What Do We Know About Lasting Effects on a Gifted Underachiever
The Grayson School (Research by Neag School faculty members, Del Siegle and Betsy McCoach, were mentioned in this article)
AUDIO: Todd Campbell on Managing Large Research Grants
Research in Action (Todd Campbell serves as guest on recent Oregon State University episode focused on applying for and managing large research grants)
In CCJEF v. Rell, a Troubling Outlook on Funding Students With Disabilities
CT Viewpoints (Associate Dean Joseph Madaus pens op-ed on Judge Thomas Moukawsher’s language regarding funding for students with severe disabilities)
5 Ways to Solve Education’s ‘Boy Crisis’
Education DIVE (Neag School’s Erik Hines was interviewed for story on the achievement gap of boys and biased treatment in the classroom)
