Alverno College Named a Top School of Education

By Erica Perez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Dec. 4–The George Lucas Educational Foundation’s magazine, Edutopia, has named Alverno College one of the nation’s 10 leading schools of education, citing the school’s success with nontraditional students and its personalized approach to learning.

The current issue of Edutopia describes Alverno as one of a small number of colleges and universities with teacher-preparation programs that are pioneering methods to better equip aspiring teachers in the face of what the magazine describes as a “crisis in teacher training.”

“What’s special about Alverno is that the learning there is so personal,” said Grace Rubenstein, a staff writer for Edutopia who wrote the story on innovative teacher-preparation programs. “In addition to that, the school is really devoted to giving people who wouldn’t otherwise have it the opportunity to become teachers and supporting them so that they stay in the profession.”

Alverno has won national attention for its uncommon way of teaching. The school has no letter grades. Instead, students are constantly evaluated on their mastery of eight “learning abilities” that are at the core of every class.

Five years after graduation, about 85% of education alumnae still are teaching, many for schools nearby in Milwaukee.

The school also has a highly diverse and nontraditional student body. Many students attend part time, and 34% are people of color.

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