Profile
VISION:
Our vision is to be a national leader in educational equity through excellence and engagement.
STUDENTS:
More than 2,000 students enrolled in programs in the Cato College of Education.
FACULTY:
115 full-time faculty provide instruction, conduct research, and contribute to both the university and the community through service.
selected Alumni Awards
- 2024 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year for the Southwest Region
- 2024 North Carolina Outstanding Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year
- 2023 North Carolina Beginning Teacher of the Year
- 2023 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2023 Cabarrus County Schools Principal of the Year
- 2023 New Hanover County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2021 Independence High School Teacher of the Year
- 2020 Gaston County School Principal of the Year
- 2019 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2019 Concord High School Teacher of the Year
- 2019 Union County Principal of the Year
- 2019 Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Principal of the Year
- 2019 Cabarrus County Schools Principal of the Year
- 2019 York School District 1 Teacher of the Year
- 2019 North Carolina Student Teacher of the Year
- 2019 Oakdale Elementary School Teacher of the Year
- 2019 Randolph Middle School Teacher of the Year
- 2018 North Carolina Student Teacher of the Year
- 2018 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2018 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Principal of the Year
- 2018 Cabarrus County Schools Principal of the Year
- 2017 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council for Educational Administration
- 2017 National Association for Gifted Children Administrator of the Year
- 2017 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Exceptional Children’s Teacher of the Year
- 2017 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2017 Cabarrus County Schools Principal of the Year
- 2017 Cabarrus County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year
- 2017 Rowan-Salisbury Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2017 Rowan Salisbury Schools Principal of the Year
- 2017 North Carolina Virtual Public School Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Kannapolis City Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2015 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Gaston County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Greene County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Ashe County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Cabarrus County Schools Principal of the Year
- 2016 Cabarrus County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year
- 2015 Kannapolis City Schools Teacher of the Year
- 2016 Newton-Conover Schools Assistant Principal of the Year
- 2015 Stanly County Fine Arts Educator of the Year
Recent faculty awards
- Dr. Heather Coffey received the 2020 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence
- Dr. Chuang Wang received the 2018 Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award
- Dr. Diane Browder received the 2018 Special Education Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.
- Dr. Jeanneine Jones received the 2018 North Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Distinguished Service Award
Research Centers and Institutes
- Center for Adolescent Literacies
- Center for Educational Measurement and Evaluation (CEME)
- Center for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education (CSTEM)
- Multicultural Play Therapy Center
- National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (OSEP, US-DOE)
- The Urban Education Collaborative