The first teacher education programs at Kokomo were offered by the Indiana University School of Education in response to the needs of local teachers for courses to meet state licensing requirements. The Kokomo School of Education was later established to serve the growing needs of north central Indiana citizens for easily accessible quality programs. The campus awarded its first Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree in 1969 and the Master of Science in Education degree in May 1985.

Mission

The School of Education maintains the highest standards for students in its initial teacher education programs. The successful teacher must master both a body of content knowledge and effective teaching skills. The initial teacher education programs offer a balance of broad liberal arts education and specialized knowledge in professional education and concentrated areas. Students choose from a variety of options to fulfill their educational requirements. The School’s advanced teacher education program provides practicing classroom teachers with graduate study aligned with the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards. P-12 classroom teachers gain advanced knowledge of educational foundations, technology, inquiry, subject area content and content pedagogy. The purposes of the initial teacher education programs are (1) to prepare students to serve as effective teachers and members of the profession, (2) to assist students in meeting Indiana certification requirements for public school personnel, and (3) to assist Indiana University graduates in securing satisfying professional positions. The purposes of the advanced teacher education program are (1) to prepare P-12 classroom teachers in reflective and inquiry-based practices, (2) to prepare P-12 classroom teachers in effectively and efficiently utilizing technology in their practice, and (3) to ultimately improve classroom teaching and student learning in central Indiana.

Programs

The School of Education offers two baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. In addition, a post-baccalaureate licensing program and a Master of Science in Education is offered at IU Kokomo.

Accreditation

The Indiana University Kokomo School of Education initial and advanced teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Indiana Department of Education.

Student’s Responsibility

Advisors assist students in planning a program of study to satisfy requirements; however, each student assumes final responsibility for meeting deadlines and completing requirements for licensure and/or graduation. It is therefore essential that all students be familiar with the degree and licensure requirements set forth in the bulletin and student handbooks.

Affirmative Action

The School of Education has a strong policy against discrimination that affects student teaching and teacher placement. Discrimination refers to the exclusion of a teacher or a prospective teacher from any position, assignment, or learning opportunity on the basis of any of the following criteria: race, color, minor variations in accent or dialect, religion, gender, national or social origin, economic condition of birth, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other criterion not directly related to ability as a teacher. The central characteristic of discrimination is the denial of an objective judgment of individual worth by assigning, deliberately or unintentionally, stereotyped status to an individual. It thus introduces criteria that are not relevant to confirmable professional judgment of the quality of an individual’s performance. Any complaint concerning discrimination should be called to the attention of the Dean of the School of Education at IU Kokomo.