College of Education Strategic Plan

Tactics

• We will enrich student competencies and experiences by expanding and strengthening educator preparation pathways, including creating and integrating undergraduate to graduate pipelines.
• We will expand and strengthen opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to develop and practice teaching competencies.
• We will empower undergraduate and graduate students to conduct research, disseminate high-quality work, and engage in practice-focused scholarship collaboratively.

High-Impact Practices

• Residency Intensive Preparation Model with Rural and High Need Placements
• District Partnership Recruitment Initiatives and Pathway Cohorts
• Core Research Competencies (developed within or across departments/programs)
• Graduate students develop teaching competencies
• Graduate students complete at least one research cycle before dissertation

Highlighted Initiatives

• TechTeach/TechTeach Across Texas
• TechTeach Across Texas (TTAT) 2+1 Transfer & District Partnership Programs
• COE Research & Outreach Centers + Mentored Research/Clinical Experiences

Tactics

• We will strengthen student support across all contexts and programs (including financial and advising support).
• We will create unified student success structures.
• We will expand student engagement and professional preparation.

High-Impact Practices

• Cross-functional advising redesign teams (faculty, staff, site coordinators) across campus-based, distance, and online cohorts.
• Student onboarding modules, milestone maps, and advising scripts embedded into all programs.
• Workshops that prepare faculty and staff to deliver consistent, high-quality student guidance.
• Regional and virtual engagement initiatives along with Teaching Techsans programming are paired with digital advising and mentoring tools.

Highlighted Initiatives

• COE Student Success and Advising Portal
• Teaching Techsans Statewide Engagement Program
• Program Handbooks and Standardized Advising Templates

Tactics

• We will maintain and expand field-based, practice-rich placements with strong mentor-teacher alignment.
• We will strengthen coordination with school districts and community partners.
• We will embed and continually improve certification support structures.
• We will enhance graduate student practice-based preparation through expanded teaching, research, and leadership experiences with partner schools and communities.

High-Impact Practices

• Residency-based preparation model 
• Certification readiness system 
• District–COE partnership shared governance

Highlighted Initiatives

• TechTeach Residency Model
• Certification Success Programs
• District Governance Partnership Meetings

Tactics

• We will support TTU COE students' collective well-being and mental health literacy.
• We will support holistic well-being initiatives to improve TTU COE student success.
• We will foster a culture of belonging and connectedness for TTU COE students both online and on campus.
• We will embed well-being language and practices into syllabi, advising, and onboarding.

High-Impact Practices

• Embedded wellness education in courses, advising, and student onboarding
• Proactive engagement programming for students
• Continuous climate and well-being feedback loops
• Integrate trauma-informed and SEL-aligned training into faculty development programs
• Visible leadership commitment and communication on well-being priorities

Highlighted Initiatives

• Student Wellness Resource Hub 
• COE Peer Connect Program
• Monthly Well-Being Pulse Checks
• Trauma-Informed Teaching and Mentorship Series
• TTU Counseling Partnership Expansion

Tactics

• We will foster interdisciplinary research teams and collaborative partnerships with and beyond the College to advance high-impact research. 
• We will lead statewide and national research through the College's research centers, developing new centers and fostering faculty collaborative research 
• We will create and expand data repositories and cross-district and institution analytics across Texas and the nation, central to advancing high-impact research 

High-Impact Practices

• Faculty & student writing groups that lead to high-impact research outcomes 
• Virtual, in-person, and real-time sessions through LONESTARP3 to develop and share high-impact research ideas and joint efforts.
• Interdisciplinary research teams that bring together faculty, students, centers, and local partners to develop cross-unit research proposals, collaborate on research projects, conduct joint analyses, and coauthor scholarly publications. 

Highlighted Initiatives

• SPED/Burkhart Interdisciplinary Research Fellows (IRF) Program 
• CIRCLE Policy Brief Series 
• RISE Workshop Series 
• Jones Endowment Funded Summer Research Programs involving Faculty and Graduate Students 

Tactics

• We will embed community-engaged research experiences across graduate curricula, research apprenticeships, and faculty development. 
• We will integrate theoretical and methodological pluralism into coursework and interdisciplinary, collaborative, and structured research training. 
• We will enhance mentoring models, improve the digital data system, and create opportunities to support transformative research projects. 

High-Impact Practices

• Graduate research apprenticeships with school districts, community organizations, and research-practice partnerships 
• Interdisciplinary seminars and collaborative research activities for faculty and students that integrate multiple theories and methods central to transformative research. 
• Create, enhance, and measure graduate mentoring ecosystems, including faculty mentors, research supervisors, center-based teams, and digital tools necessary for transformative research. 

Highlighted Initiatives

• SPED/Burkhart Interdisciplinary Research Fellows (IRF) Program 
• Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Research Projects 
• RISE Workshop Series
• CIRCLE's Community-Engaged Projects (e.g., Opportunity Culture evaluations, TIA Item Analysis)  
• Jones Endowment Funded Summer Research Programs involving Faculty and Graduate Students

Tactics

• We will support mutual agreements and applied-research working groups with PK-12 partners for district-initiated and co-designed research projects.
• We will support a PK–12 applied research network that connects districts, centers, faculty, and graduate assistants to support collaborative inquiry and data-informed improvement.

High-Impact Practices

• District-driven project design cycles that use streamlined agreements to co-develop applied research, professional development, and evaluation activities.
• Applied research working groups that regularly convene district partners, faculty, and graduate assistants to co-create briefs, tools, and evaluations addressing literacy, behavior, teacher retention, and school safety.

Highlighted Initiatives

• CATALYST Teacher Professional Development
• CIRCLE Policy Brief Series
• Principal Fellows Partnership Program
• Mobile Teacher Hub

Tactics

• We will strengthen faculty and College center visibility through sustained participation in community-based initiatives across the region.
• We will improve collaborative planning with ESCs and regional partners through regular joint meetings and shared priority-setting.
• We will continue district engagement activities including Get on the Bus, rural outreach, and advisory feedback to maintain strong, ongoing partnerships.

High-Impact Practices

• Structured community-engagement cycles that embed faculty and centers in recurring community-based initiatives, ensuring continuous visibility and participation.
• Collaborative planning summits and coordination sessions held with ESCs and regional partners each semester to align goals, share data, and co-design regional priorities.
• District-engagement field visits and outreach tours (e.g., Get on the Bus, rural outreach circuits, advisory feedback sessions) scheduled annually to maintain strong, responsive district partnerships.

Highlighted Initiatives

• Get on the Bus
• Mobile Teacher Hub
• Rural and Regional Outreach
• ESC and TSBVI (Texas School for the Blind & Visually-Impaired) Collaborations
• West Texas Education Impact Collaborative

Tactics

• We will host an educator leadership or policy conference aligned with major statewide events to elevate the College’s visibility and impact.
• We will strengthen engagement with Red Raider school leaders statewide.
• We will support year-round Austin engagement strategy to inform state-level education policy.

High-Impact Practices

• Launch a Policy Literacy Academy for students and educational practitioners.
• Ongoing structured engagement with superintendents and alumni leaders.
• Coordinated statewide advocacy aligned with TEA priorities and legislative cycles.
• High-visibility convenings that showcase COE expertise.

Highlighted Initiatives

• Dean’s Regional Superintendent Engagement
• Statewide Alumni Connections and Advocacy
• Get Your Teach On

Tactics

• We will infuse global and comparative perspectives into community, curricular, and outreach initiatives while honoring local and statewide priorities.
• We will promote learning experiences that develop global awareness, intercultural competence, and the ability to lead in diverse educational settings.
• We will strengthen international and cross-context partnerships that provide faculty, students, and districts with access to global learning, research, and exchange opportunities.

High-Impact Practices

• Internationally-oriented field experiences, virtual exchange, and global community-based learning.
• Global leadership workshops and seminars co-designed with international partners to build comparative understanding and intercultural capacity
• Faculty and student participation in collaborative international research networks, partnership residencies, and cross-national education policy dialogues.

Highlighted Initiatives

• International Education Week and Global Learning Series
• Global Classrooms and Virtual Exchange Partnerships
• Study Abroad, Faculty-Led Institutes, and International Research Collaboratives
• International Education Governance & Policy Seminar/TechTeach Global Pathways

Tactics

• We will optimize space planning and allocation
• We will streamline workflows and operational processes
• We will modernize digital infrastructure

High-Impact Practices

• Annual Space Optimization Review
• Standardized Workflow Mapping (within units)
• Digital Accessibility & Communications Upgrades
• Implement streamlined teaching load assignment processes

Highlighted Initiatives

• College-wide Space Planning Process
• Operational Efficiency Task Force
• Web Modernization Project

Tactics

• We will establish a transparent and equitable staff framework that advances manageable workloads, eliminates ambiguity, and reduces burnout
• We will increase staff representation on committees, councils, and planning bodies
• We will implement unified onboarding, communication, and role-clarity frameworks that ensure consistent expectations for staff, faculty, and leadership.
• We will build staff-focused professional development and recognition pathways that foster staff leadership opportunities, strengthen expertise, collaboration, and college-wide effectiveness to better serve students.

High-Impact Practices

• Annual review of position descriptions
• Structured and role-aligned PD pathways
• Shared governance integration
• Standardized onboarding and cross-training

Highlighted Initiatives

• Staff Leadership & Advancement Academy (like TLPDC but for staff specifically)
• Staff Governance Participation Framework
• Unified Onboarding Experience Rollout
• College Staff Retreat
• Staff Council Professional Development Workshops
• Operations and Process Frameworks

Tactics

• We will enhance web presence and functionality
• We will coordinate a social media strategy
• We will improve internal communication systems
• We will host professional conferences and activities.
• We will support faculty serving in national and international leadership roles, editing journals, and providing professional expertise to community partners.

High-Impact Practices

• Regular analytics review cycles to guide continuous improvement
• Coordinated content planning across units for consistency and visibility
• Transparent, multi-channel internal communication
• Coordinated storytelling and digital engagement strategy
• Flagship events, conferences, and professional convenings hosted by the College

Highlighted Initiatives

• Website accessibility and navigation upgrades using standard templates and Silktide improvements
• College-wide social media calenda
• Monthly internal updates from the Dean’s Office, supported by unified messaging tools
• ExpandED Speaker Series
• COE Social Media and Marketing Campaigns
• Hosted Professional Conferences and Policy Forums

Tactics

• We will establish a transparent and equitable faculty workload framework that promotes fairness, flexibility, and alignment to outcomes.
• We will implement professional learning pathways that support teaching innovation, research productivity, policy engagement, and leadership development.
• We will provide targeted support for mid-career and senior faculty to advance promotion readiness, leadership pathways, and sustained scholarly momentum.
• We will support a faculty leadership pipeline that identifies emerging leaders, prepares them for department- and college-level roles, and supports service in state, national, and international organizations.

High-Impact Practices

• Annual faculty workload audit and adjustment cycle to ensure transparency, consistency, and departmental alignment
• Structured mentoring pathways for early-career, mid-career, and advanced faculty
• Prepare faculty for roles such as program coordinators, directors, assistant/associate deans, and center leadership
• Research & grant support ecosystem including writing retreats, proposal development support, and cross-college collaborations

Highlighted Initiatives

• College-wide faculty onboarding & success program
• Mid-Career Advancement Initiative (promotion readiness, sabbatical planning, research reinvigoration)
• Faculty leadership pipeline & succession planning initiative.
• Faculty workload adjustment for dissertation advising (i.e., 6/18 rule)
• RISE Workshop Series