New Publication: Nidia Ruedas-Gracia, assistant professor of Educational Psychology, has penned an article in the School Community Journal on belonging and whether it varies over time among adolescent students in Native schools. Read it: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/1526/942164265

Help us recognize outstanding Education graduates by nominating them for a 2026 College of Education Alumni Award. Deadline: Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. Categories include: 🔸 Distinguished Alumni Award 🔹 Emerging Leader Alumni Award 🔸 NEW: PreK-12 Educator Excellence Award Learn more: https://bit.ly/4qtOpcv

Congratulations to Special Education associate professor Catherine Corr on receiving the Social & Behavioral Science Impact Award from the Center for Social and Behavioral Science. More:

We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Tom Schwandt, Professor Emeritus and former Chair of @epsyatillinois.bsky.social. He was an internationally recognized leader in evaluation research whose work significantly advanced the profession’s role in democratic societies.

Ready for your next adventure, but this time, in orange and blue? Transfer applications for Fall 2026 are now open through February 1! Apply: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/transfer

We’re proud to offer our first-ever ISBE-approved fully online microcredential for teachers. This self-paced microcredential in Trauma-Informed Education examines the impact of trauma and strategies to address it for students ages pre-K to 18. Learn More:

Awaiting your return with open arms. See you soon 🧡

You'd look pretty good in orange and blue. Today's the last day to submit your application for Fall 2026 undergraduate admission. Apply: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/myillini-apply

We’re starting 2026 by celebrating new beginnings. Mike Pierce became the first student from @ejpatil.bsky.social admitted to the University of Illinois. He’s pursuing a master’s in trauma-informed education in the College of Education and is building a bright future.

Wrapping up a big year with our biggest class in decades. The Class of 2029 will be remembered as one of the largest in the College's history with 240 first-year students.

Our biggest stories of 2025: Erica Mason looked at the two primary schools of thought in Special Education, which are diametrically opposed, and wondered why they couldn’t be bridged? She’s now working on a solution to unify them and benefit students, teachers, and researchers.

Our top stories of the year include a top player. Being a graduate student is stressful—classes, research, and student teaching. But for Kendall Bostic, she tackled it all while being one of the Big Ten’s fiercest rebounders and leading the Illini to their first NCAA tournament win in 25 years.

We want you to be an Illini! Reminder that applications for Fall 2026 are due by 11:59 p.m. on January 5. Apply: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/myillini-apply

In 2025, we lost an icon of the University of Illinois and the College of Education. Mildred Barnes Griggs was more than just a Dean; she was a leader. An advocate. A trailblazer. She was a visionary who made an intentional difference in people’s lives. More: https://bit.ly/4956qX1

Wishing you this much joy this holiday season 🤗

Our biggest stories of 2025: Asif Wilson’s Social Studies Network has been working with the Illinois State Board of Education to develop professional development to prepare social studies teachers for the revised State of Illinois learning standards for social science education.

One of our big 2025 stories is about a big award. Our iGlobal program, which connects teachers to students all over the world, was honored by @nafsa-official.bsky.social with the Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization.

A big change in 2025 was the addition of our new plant wall in the south lobby of the Education building. The wall is not only a beautiful feature but also part of a vision to expand sustainability education, representing the College’s commitment to experiential learning and student well-being.

We're proud to have one of four classes offered to Illinois high school students as part of the University of Illinois' new dual-credit initiative. SPED 117: The Culture of Disability will introduce students to disability culture and help them better understand the impacts of disability.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced educators to make rapid decisions without clear information. A new book from a group of scholars, including Education’s Rachel Roegman, examines the challenges the K-12 system faced and the lessons learned from the pandemic.

In 2025, we celebrated the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA) and the new Center for Research and Innovation in Technology-Enhanced Learning (ITEL) becoming campus-recognized centers. More on CREA: https://bit.ly/3MH7E3r More on ITEL: https://bit.ly/4qlwch4

We look back at some of the biggest stories of 2025: Katie Moore, like many college students, didn't know what her future held. She wasn’t sure where her passion lied. Thanks to a chance opening to teach American Sign Language, she found it. Now she’s an inspiration to deaf learners everywhere.

As 2025 winds down, we're looking back on some of the biggest stories of the year. This year, our Aspiring Educators Chapter was recognized by both the state of Illinois and the National Education Association as the Outstanding Emerging Chapter for 2025.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with wonder, discovery, and hope The support of our friends and colleagues in 2025 has been extraordinary. Thank you for sharing our vision of leading through innovative research, transformative learning experiences, and significant public engagement -Dean Mouza

Paul Meginnis knew his wife was a beloved teacher. But he never realized the true scope of her impact until her untimely death, when hundreds of students and parents turned up to pay their respects. Today, her family honors that impact with the Kay Reeves Meginnis Special Education Scholarship.

What started as a three-year plan to research educational reform in Egypt turned into way more for Linda Herrera. The Education Policy, Organization, & Leadership professor has been granted unprecedented access to document the peaks and pitfalls of a major overhaul for her book, Education 2.0.

Deadline today! The 17th Annual Graduate Student Conference is accepting submissions through the end of the day today. This conference is open to graduate students in any program at an accredited university as of Spring 2026. More info and submit: https://bit.ly/3Mh0fYu

This must be the place📍 If you’re ready to become an Illini, the application deadline for Fall 2026 undergrad enrollment is one month away. Start your application: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply

As part of her National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation grant, @ciatillinois.bsky.social Assistant Professor Giselle Martinez Negrette is rebuilding the dual language classroom by understanding how those spaces are created and experienced by the people within them.

Don’t let this opportunity slip away! Our official College of Education pop-up store closes TONIGHT! Get your orders in now before it’s too late. Don’t forget, you can skip the shipping fees with free local pickup from Dixon Graphics! SHOP: https://dixon-graphics.com/educationillinois/shop/home

Don’t forget about new College of Education merch this Black Friday! Our pop-up shop is open through Tuesday, so get those orders in soon. And don’t forget you can save on shipping, too, with free local pickup from Dixon Graphics. Order: https://dixon-graphics.com/educationillinois/shop/home

🆕 Stuff Added! We've added new products to our pop-up merch store! Grab some of the comfiest styles before the store closes on December 2! SHOP: https://dixon-graphics.com/educationillinois/shop/home

You never know where your I-L-L will be met with an I-N-I. Cecilia Vaughn-Guy, an on-campus student, and D. Bryant Ramirez, an online student, had never met. But despite living nearly 8,000 miles apart, they connected at the Academy of Human Resource Development conference in Bangkok.

Congratulations to Idalia Nuñez, associate professor @ciatillinois.bsky.social, on the publication of her new edited book, Theories, Models, and Practices of Literacy. More: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/1526/142993132

We’re thrilled to share our 2025 Impact Report, Visionary, showcasing the important work within our strategic vision areas of research, teaching, public engagement, and stewarding resources. Explore the 2025 report for yourself now. https://impactreport.education.illinois.edu/2025/

Who’s ready for a merch drop? The College of Education pop-up store is officially live! We’ve brought back some of your favorites, along with new designs and new products! This is a LIMITED TIME pop-up, so order before December 2. Order: https://dixon-graphics.com/educationillinois/

Easing the learning curve for those with Type 1 Diabetes For World Diabetes Day, we’re highlighting new research by Associate Professor Cynthia D’Angelo, the PI of an NSF-funded study that aims to help people navigate the complex information needed to manage their disease.

We're working to make teaching math easier 👩‍🏫 Our Issues and Trends in Mathematics Education class visited University Primary School to conduct observations. They witnessed firsthand how teachers promote creativity, agency, and enthusiasm for math by engaging students in problem solving.

Sourabh Garg, a @ciatillinois.bsky.social Ph.D. student, presented a paper at the Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference. It is part of an NSF-funded project, “Engaging teachers in integrating human-centered design for geometry problem-based instruction.”

Asif Wilson, assistant professor @ciatillinois.bsky.social, has published an article in the Journal of Professional Development Education. It explores the experiences of social studies teachers who participated in professional development on the school-prison nexus and justice-centered praxes.

Unmatched Fall vibes on campus right now 🍁🧡

Christina Swanson, an @epsyatillinois.bsky.social alumna, made one small change with her students. She decided to focus on connection rather than evaluation. Now, her students feel more confident, empowered, and validated, while Swanson feels a renewed sense of purpose and agency.

Five researchers from the College of Education have published a new article in the American Journal of Evaluation focusing on designing culturally responsive and values-engaged evaluations for school-based equity programs. More:

Good luck to EPOL Assistant Professor Chang-kyu Kwon as he delivers the keynote address at the 2025 Taipei International Forum on Employment for Persons with Disabilities × International Conference on Human Resource Development. The conference is this week in Taipei, Taiwan.

We take Halloween pretty seriously around here... Have a spooky day! 🎃

Tamara Bertrand Jones clearly remembers the moment that inspired her doctoral work in evaluation and assessment: it was when she read an article by Stafford Hood. Now Bertrand Jones follows in his footsteps as the director of the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA).

Grad Students! Consider submitting to and presenting at our College's Graduate Student Conference in March here at @educationillinois.bsky.social! education.illinois.edu/student-reso...

Let’s fight the flu 💪 Students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend our Flu Shot Clinic on Monday, November 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the north lobby. Bring your i-card (faculty and staff bring proof of insurance, too) and get your shot. No registration required!

The early decision deadline to apply to Illinois is coming up on Saturday, November 1. Don't worry if you're not ready to apply quite yet, the regular decision deadline isn't until January 😊 Get started on your app: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/Home/myillini-apply

Linda Herrera, professor EPOL, will discuss her new book "Education 2.0: Chronicles of Technological and Cultural Change in Egypt" on November 12 at 4 p.m. in room 223 in Gregory Hall. More: