In 2019, Florida educators of the year were recognized on the field at the FSU Family Weekend football game. Celebrating educators on a public stage marked the launch of Project ElevatED, a concerted effort to recruit, train and retain more educators in the workforce and recognize them for the important work they do.
Through these lenses of recruitment, training and retention, we engage with prospective students to recruit and inspire new education professionals; train the next generation of education professionals with cutting-edge research and teaching techniques; and provide opportunities for professional development and recognition to retain more education professionals in the field.
Throughout the process, our programs serve as pathways to meaningful careers that leave a lasting impact. Education is the profession that creates all other professions, and we can better serve our university, our state, and our nation by providing better training, support and recognition of the teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches and other professionals who work with students every day.
ElevatED Initiatives
New/Expanded Academic Programs
We’re committed to offering innovative and in-demand programs that meet the needs of current and future education professionals, including:
- Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy
- Online Ed.D. in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies
- Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Online M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
- Online M.S./Ed.S. in School Counseling
- Online Master’s in Athletic Coaching and Graduate Certificate in Athletic Coaching
- Online Graduate Certificate in College Teaching
- Combined Bachelors/Master’s Pathways in:
New/Expanded Professional Development Programs
Quality professional development opportunities are an important part of educator development and retention. We’re proud to offer our expertise through projects like:
- Personalization for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (PASL), a partnership between FSU, Broward County Schools and Vanderbilt University that focuses on improving both the academic and social-emotional outcomes for high school students
- Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), a mathematics professional development program for elementary educators
- Adult & Community Education (ACE) Summer Institute, a partnership between FSU’s special education program and Leon County Schools that provides preservice teachers with hands-on experience in working with students in ACE’s transition program for young adults with disabilities
Recognition and Support of Education Professionals
Recognition is a key component of Project ElevatED, and we want education professionals to know how important and valued they are. We work to accomplish this by:
- Recognizing award-winning education professionals during an FSU football game each year, and expanding this tradition to other universities around the state and the country
- Offering a full three-year graduate tuition waiver to every Florida Teacher of the Year award winner since 2020
- Partnering with the Florida Department of Education to support the Florida Teacher of the Year program
- Delivering care packages to all FSU graduates currently teaching in Florida
New/Expanded Laboratory School Support
Our laboratory schools are routinely recognized for their excellence in teaching and student achievement, and we’re excited to see the next phases in their growth development.
- New $17M Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM) Building for Florida State University School (K-12) in Tallahassee
- Secured 17.4 acres of new land for future expansion of Florida State University School (K-12) in Tallahassee
New/Expanded Scholarships & Fundraising
We’re proud to offer more scholarships than any other college at FSU, and more than any other College of Education in Florida! Through Project ElevatED, we’re keeping that momentum going.
- 14 new scholarships created for preservice teachers since 2019
- $1.81M in scholarships awarded to FSU College of Education students since 2019
- Creation of the Duel of the Schools fundraising platform for Colleges of Education in Florida SUS institutions
Education Policy Advocacy
Education policy advocacy is another essential element of Project ElevatED. Our location right here in Florida’s capitol makes us well-equipped to build relationships with key stakeholders with the goal of elevating the education profession.
- Letter to the governor advocating for teacher raises across Florida in 2020 and 2021
- Partnerships with the Florida Department of Education and other SUS institutions for teacher recruitment and support
- Membership in the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE), which allows us to join collective efforts with other universities with doctoral programs in special education to advocate for education policies at the federal and state levels.
Additional Instructional Support
We know that to produce well-prepared teachers, we need excellent teachers of our own.
- 13 new full-time faculty lines since 2019
- 12 new graduate assistantship lines since 2019
Additional Research Support
Cutting-edge research is just one of the many areas where we shine, and new systems of support are helping us shine even brighter.
- New internal Dean’s Circle Catalyst Grants to support faculty research
Additional Operational Support
More operational funding means more opportunities for us to innovate, create and inspire.
- New COE Dean’s Circle program to enhance the college’s operational endowment and research funding support
- New Associate Chair/Director positions to support innovation in all COE academic units
New/Renovated Facilities
Our state-of-the-art facilities help us produce state-of-the-art education professionals. Recent renovations to our spaces include:
ElevatED By the Numbers
Since Fall of 2019...
219,471 attendees honored education professionals during FSU Football Games
$2.61M in scholarships awarded to FSU College of Education students
Prepared 1,635 graduates for successful careers in K-12 education
3,605 teachers participated in FSU-led professional development
7 other universities joined as affiliates of Project ElevatED
18 new scholarships created for preservice teachers
2,985 care packages delivered to FSU alumni in school districts across Florida
$77,649 in graduate tuition waivers awarded to Florida Teachers of the Year
