Dean's Welcome

We are thrilled to welcome you into our community in the CU Boulder School of Education.

Whether your dream is to be an educator, researcher, community organizer, or something we haven’t yet imagined, we can help you to accomplish your goals. We offer cutting-edge teacher preparation pathways, innovative undergraduate programs, and Colorado’s top-ranked graduate school in education.

Twenty years ago, I arrived at CU Boulder as an assistant professor and, ever since, my relationships with faculty, students, staff, and community partners have profoundly shaped my work and life. I was fortunate to locate my work in Colorado, where my familial roots are five generations deep in the rural southeast region of the state. From the start, the School of Education’s mission to center commitments to democracy, equity, and justice at the heart of what we reach for resonated with the critical questions that animate my scholarship and school partnerships. Our school’s mission points to the crucial role of process, not one and done outcomes, in pursuing more just and equitable education policy and practice. I am in awe of the impact of our faculty, students, and staff in the collective, incremental work that strives toward transformative change in inequitable and intractable systems. We know that work is never perfect, nor complete, but I see its undeniable impact, even in the face of significant challenges.

Yet, there is always work to be done to improve access and opportunities for all students across educational systems. Today’s education leaders need knowledge, skills, and ample support to address complex challenges.

Our nationally recognized faculty members draw from a variety of disciplines such as philosophy, literary criticism, sociology, measurement, anthropology, learning sciences and more.As scholars, we have made significant contributions to research, theory, policy, and practices. And yet, our faculty are approachable,accessible and thoughtful mentors for students, often forming bonds that continue well beyond graduation for students and alumni.

Education students and alumni benefit from the many opportunities that CU Boulder offers as a large, public, highly regarded research university. While our smaller School of Education community provides fertile ground for rich connections, personalized support, and real-world experiences. Our students are passionate about learning and unlearning and leading the changes they wish to see in their communities.

We hope you will join us, as we look forward to learning with you.

Elizabeth Dutro
Interim Dean and Professor