The School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth provides innovative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary teaching models, professional development, and research linking academic programs in education and public policy within a context of civic engagement. Its aim is to improve and sustain regional educational attainment as well as to retain highly educated and skilled citizens equipped to compete in a global knowledge-based society.

To achieve this, the School has established an applied research agenda that centers on programmatic evaluation and policy analysis, using data-based tools and information with which to guide our response to the educational needs of the region. In concert with research findings and regional opportunities, the School provides best practice models for linking content and pedagogy for novice-through-professional teacher preparation programs, as well as for school-leader initiatives.

Initial curricular focus of the School centers on three key areas: student learning in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics); innovation and improvement in the delivery of teacher preparation programs; and delivery of a highly trained pipeline of teachers and educational leaders who can improve K-12 student performance while encouraging students to pursue higher education. With insights gained from close collaboration with regional stakeholders, the School is developing innovative leadership programs to ensure a new generation of leaders, well-trained in policy and management, are ready to take bold and coordinated action for equity and access through a foundation of distributed leadership.

Of particular importance is the School's capacity to integrate public policy research and academic programming that ensures our ability to remain at the forefront of emerging policy proposals and enhances our ability to shape and influence education policy and reform in our region, Commonwealth, and nation.