Centers and Services
The Center for Science and Mathematics Education, directed by Dr. James Barufaldi, provides training opportunities for science teachers in Texas schools and promotes strong undergraduate and graduate programs in this area.
The Education Career Services and Field Experiences offices, directed by Dr. Sharon Evans, help to provide classroom experience for future teachers and to match students certified through the College of Education with positions in schools and colleges.
The Institute for Public School Initiatives, focuses on improving student performance from preschool through high school via strategic partnerships with UT institutions, community colleges, school districts and state agencies.
The Learning Technology Center, directed by Dr. Paul Resta, houses microcomputing and media services, instructional equipment and materials. Center staff work with schools to design ways that new information technologies can help support learning for K-12 and for preservice teachers.
The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, is dedicated to generating and disseminating empirically validated knowledge and practices to influence educators, researchers, policy-makers, families, and other stakeholders who are striving to reduce academic, behavioral, and social risk in all learners, particularly those with disabilities.
The Office of Bilingual Education, directed by Dr. Alba A. Ortiz, coordinates efforts throughout the College associated with the training of bilingual personnel.
The Pearson Center for Applied Psychometric Research, directed by Dr. Barbara G. Dodd, is dedicated to providing cutting edge statistical and psychometric research and evaluation services to further educational improvements at the K-12 and higher education levels and to inform educators, researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the education process.
The the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports serves as a resource and research center in the fields of physical culture and sports. The Center has two main divisions: The Stark Center Library and The Center’s museum and exhibit galleries, the Joe and Betty Weider Museum of Physical Culture.
The Texas Center for Disability Studies, directed by Dr. Penny Seay, is one of the 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities in Education, Research, and Service located in university settings throughout the United States and its territories. By emphasizing cultural and linguistic diversity as an essential belief, the center serves Texas as a catalyst so that people with disabilities are living lives they choose in supportive communities.
The Texas Center for Education Policy, directed by Dr. Angela Valenzuela, engages in extensive research, analysis, development, and implementation of state educational policy. The center is dedicated to defining major policy issues and assessing the effectiveness of various policy-development strategies and alternatives.
The Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts, directed by Dr. Sylvia Linan-Thompson, provides information to educators statewide and nationally about research-based effective practices in the teaching of reading and language arts. One of its components, the Texas Family Literacy Center, is a resource to family literacy educators throughout Texas.