USC Rossier Magazine: 2024

The first institution dedicated to teacher training is thought to have been established in France in 1685. This early school of education, called an école normale or normal school, was set up to provide future educators with the necessary knowledge to teach the “norms” of the day and age to their pupils. In the U.S., many public universities have their roots as normal schools. Suffice it to say that schools of education have been an essential part of our civilization for centuries. However, institutions that are as ubiquitous as schools of education often suffer from a lack of understanding about their importance. We often only understand such institutions’ importance to the health and progress of our society when they’re gone.

In an effort to explore the significance of schools of education now, in this issue of USC Rossier Magazine, we turn to this very question: Do we still need schools of education? In these pages, you will see the USC Rossier School of Education’s answer to this question in action as we explore and celebrate the work and research of our alumni, students, staff and faculty. You will read about how the USC Rossier community is serving their communities in ways that reach far beyond the halls of schools, helping to shape important educational policy from local school boards to Capitol Hill, and reimagining the design of curriculum and schools based on emerging research.