Dr. Tony Latiker
Interim Dean
tony.t.latiker@jsums.edu
601-979-0300

The College of Education and Human Development has as its primary purpose and responsibility the development, administration, supervision, and evaluation of programs in teacher education and other related human services which support the teaching profession and the mission of the University. It offers programs of professional training in non-teaching areas such as counseling, rehabilitative services, and recreation leadership. More specifically, the College of Education and Human Development is responsible for developing and administering quality, comprehensive, career-oriented programs which attract culturally and economically diverse students into the fields of early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, health and physical education, recreation, special education, social science education, educational administration and supervision and guidance and counseling. Further, the College of Education and Human Development:

1. emphasizes inquiry, research, and publication;
2. promotes faculty, staff, and student development programs;
3. provides ongoing programs for the education community, and promotes cooperation and collaboration between the College of Education and Human Development and other education or human service agencies at the local, state, national and international levels; and
4. seeks external assistance to aid in the support of its program offerings.

College Accreditations

The College of Education and Human Development’s teacher education programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The Clinical Mental Health, Rehabilitation Counseling, and School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Vision

The vision of the College of Education and Human Development is to be the premier urban institution of choice within the state of Mississippi, the region, and the nation for the preparation of teachers, counselors and mental health professionals, professional development specialists, school leaders, and other school-related professional practitioners with the latest in technology, best practices and as responsive educators with adaptive expertise.

Mission

The mission of the College of Education and Human Development is to employ teaching, research and service within an urban learning community, and to prepare practitioners from diverse backgrounds for outstanding professional service through the development of solutions to potential or existing challenges facing urban institutions.

Centers & Organizations

Lottie W. Thornton Early Childhood Center

The Lottie W. Thornton Early Childhood Center provides childcare services for faculty, students, and the general community. The Center currently serves students ages 3 and 4 and serves as a training ground for the College of Education and Human Development’s education programs. The Center offers diversified laboratory experiences for graduate and undergraduate students who are studying the cognitive, psychomotor, and social development of young children.

Professional Test Preparation Center

The Professional Test Preparation Center is designed to facilitate the College of Education and Human Development’s efforts to improve the performance of undergraduate and graduate students on standardized tests. General testing strategies, thinking, reading, and writing skills are emphasized. The center is used widely for assisting students with Praxis preparation.

Cleopatra D. Thompson Curriculum Center

The Cleopatra D. Thompson Curriculum Center provides a variety of multimedia resources, professional and instructional materials, and related equipment to support faculty and students in the College of Education and Human Development. The Center serves the objectives of programs in the College by locating, collecting, organizing, promoting, and distributing learning resources for use by faculty and students. It also provides facilities for assistance in the production of instructional materials, displays, and demonstrations.

Center for Teacher Quality

The Center for Teacher Quality (CTQ) provides administrative oversight for teacher education programs and has the primary responsibility for coordinating admissions to teacher education and field-based experiences. The CTQ is responsible for facilitating the delivery of required and structured clinical and field-based experiences at both the basic and the advanced levels. Thus, all internships, field, clinical, and student teaching experiences operate under the auspices of this office. Students who have completed at least 44 hours in their core curriculum and maintained a 2.75-grade point average may be eligible for admission to teacher education. For complete admissions requirements please visit the Center for Teacher Quality’s website at https://www.jsums.edu/teacherquality/. Please note that admission to the Teacher Education Program does not guarantee admission to student teaching. Supervised student teaching is required for teacher certification by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) and most other states.

The Center for Teacher Quality also manages the Professional Education Council (PEC). Teacher education programs in various disciplines (Elementary Education, English, History, Math, Physics, etc.) are overseen by the Professional Education Council (PEC). The PEC consists of related faculty representatives and also includes opportunities for undergraduate student representatives to participate in reviewing and approving curriculum changes. The PEC’s major functions include ensuring the overall quality of programs and that state certification standards as well as national specialty area association’s standards are met. Meetings of the Council are held a minimum of three times each semester during the fall and spring. If you are interested in participating, please contact your department chair.

Professional Licensure and Disclosure Statement

The following programs may lead to a professional license or certification that is required for employment. Professional licensure/certification requirements vary from state to state, which may affect a student’s ability to apply for a professional license/certification upon the completion of the program. The U.S. Department of Education regulation, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires an institution to disclose whether the program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state. The administrative departments that offer the programs have made the following determination regarding their curriculum.

• Counseling Education
• Educational Leadership
• Elementary Education
• English Education
• Health Education
• History Education
• Master of Arts in Teaching
• Math Education
• Music Education
• Social Science Education
• Special Education
• Physical Education
• Physics Education
• Therapeutic Recreation

The Mississippi Department of Education’s licensure requirements may periodically change. To review current licensure guidelines, please visit the following link: https://www.mdek12.org/OEL. A background check is required by most school districts prior to employment.