The mission of the School of Education at California State University, Dominguez Hills is to prepare educational professionals who are successfully engaged in work that supports and promotes public school students in California. 

The vision of the School of Education of (SOE) is to maintain a model of collaborative urban educational excellence, recognized for preparing teachers, administrators, counselors, and other specialists who work effectively with a variety of learners from diverse backgrounds.

GOAL # 1 – Students
To recruit, prepare, and provide support to a diverse group of students who will attain the highest educational and performance standards in their field of specialization.

Objective A: Recruit, prepare, and retain students who reflect the diversity of our service area.

Objective B: Provide rigorous and relevant coursework and field experiences that challenge students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Objective C: Provide appropriately scheduled coursework that allows students to complete their programs in a timely manner. 

Objective D: Collaborate with school districts and other agencies to monitor and support appropriate field experiences.

Objective E: Continue to recruit, prepare and support staff for effective student services.

GOAL # 2 – Faculty
To recruit, develop, and support a diverse faculty who model excellent teaching informed by current research and best practices and who actively participate in their field of specialization.

Objective A: Recruit and retain diverse, knowledgeable, and talented faculty.

Objective B: Provide resources for faculty, with priority given to new faculty, to engage in research and course development and implement best practices in teaching. 

Objective C: Recognize and reward excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, community service, and advisement.

Objective D: Provide support and assistance to faculty to meet the Retention, Tenure and Promotion (RTP) criteria of the SOE and university.

Objective E: Encourage and increase faculty involvement in governance and allocation of resources.

Objective F: Encourage faculty collaboration in the development of curriculum and policy.

Objective G: Actively support and engage adjunct faculty in SOE instructional programs.

GOAL # 3 – Programs
To develop, implement, evaluate, and sustain, quality research–based programs, responsive to the needs of diverse urban communities that continually define best practices.

Objective A: Examine the effectiveness of our programs through systematic evaluations of our graduates and their employers.

Objective B: Modify and/or develop programs through periodic needs assessment and analyses in collaboration with practitioners and other professionals to reflect the changing demands of the field.

Objective C: Differentiate support strategies to provide equal opportunity to learn.

Objective D: Continue to develop and implement the SOE’s technology plan.

Objective E: Seek resources to support infrastructure needs.

Objective G: Evaluate the impact of SOE prepared educational professionals on student performance.

GOAL # 4 – Collaboration
To develop and sustain collaborative relationships that are aligned with and that enhance the SOE mission.

Objective A: Support, maintain, and enhance continuing collaborations.

Objective B: Identify and develop new collaborations.

Objective C: Continuously seek and nurture funding sources.

Objective D: Develop and implement evaluative procedures to monitor and improve collaborations.

Goals and vision developed at Strategic Planning Retreat, March 17, 2000 
Objectives developed at Strategic Planning Retreat Committee Meeting, October 12, 1998 - Last updated 7/24/2002
 

Program Design and Curriculum

Programs within the SOE are designed to further the mission and goals in several critical ways. Because most SOE graduates work within the greater Los Angeles basin, one of the most diverse areas in the country, all SOE programs are dedicated to preparing students to work in urban settings with culturally and linguistically diverse learners. 

Program curricula are carefully constructed to forward this important goal of preparing educational professionals to work in diverse settings. As a critical aspect of their course work, students learn interactive strategies that encourage success of all students and clients, especially those from low socioeconomic and culturally diverse backgrounds. 

An additional aspect of SOE programs is the blending of theory and practice. Course assignments and projects are connected to classrooms and related sites. Additionally, through practicums in school districts and other community agencies, all SOE students are provided with opportunities to apply theoretical issues in challenging practical settings. 

SOE programs also respond to content standards set by national and state professional organizations and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). As they progress through their course of study, students are provided a range of opportunities to demonstrate competencies to meet and exceed the CCTC standards. 

To assure that SOE programs connect with the needs of the education professionals within our service area, all programs are systematically evaluated. Through these systematic and frequent evaluations, programs can be modified to reflect emerging needs in the communities we serve, as well as address emerging developments in the professional fields.

Professional Practices

Whereas our values, beliefs, and conceptual knowledge base may resemble those of other Colleges of Education, what truly sets us apart are the ways in which they are manifested in our practices. We are a diverse faculty committed to serving diverse communities. We collaborate with educational professionals in the urban institutions we serve. We have established learning communities within and outside of the university. In these communities, we view ourselves as leaders, researchers, and learners who value the importance of their collective wisdom, institutional continuity, and unique strengths.

As educational professionals, we (a) seek to model and disseminate best professional practices for diverse urban classrooms; (b) establish clear standards for our students, and employ multi-modal assessment strategies; (c) use teaching methodologies that are grounded in our conceptual knowledge base; and (d) assist students in adapting best practices for use in the urban communities in which we serve.

Our research is dedicated to increasing the knowledge base in urban education. Our professional activities include grant writing, research, presentations, publications, and symposia.  We are involved in independent research activities, as well as collaborative endeavors.  Through these activities, we hope to expand effective and professional practices in urban education.

We believe strongly in the pursuit of scholarship in education. We believe that the most effective teachers participate in research activities that lead to improved teaching effectiveness.  We believe that sound research leads to best teaching practices and that the most effective teachers are also researchers. The SOE supports research efforts in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to providing: (a) seed grant monies for initiating research projects; (b) a faculty colloquium series where top educational scholars are invited to present current research to CSUDH College of Education faculty; (c) an annual research poster session for SOE faculty to present posters of their current research; and (d) travel funds for faculty to present current research at professional meetings.

The faculty of the School of Education (SOE) in consultation with local school personnel, the SOE Advisory Board, and campus constituencies has developed a Philosophy Statement that clearly explains our values and beliefs. These values and beliefs embrace the professional commitments and ideas that guide our work, and the theories and practice that inform our teaching and professional behavior.