Stage II: 10 Mission & Vision
| Criterion 10 | Submission Requirements | Artifacts to Submit |
|---|---|---|
| An institution’s mission and vision for educator preparation is consistent with California’s approach to educator preparation. *Note: A complete program design with significant detail included is not what is intended here, as that will be submitted to ensure alignment with the Commission’s adopted program standards in Stage IV. Rather, the intent is to provide the Commission with sufficient information to ensure that the institution’s philosophy and approach about educator preparation is consistent with California’s. | (a) Identify the specific educator preparation program(s) the institution will seek to offer. | Preliminary PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Preliminary Multiple Subject Preliminary Single Subject — English, mathematics, science, social science |
| (b) Provide the institution’s mission and vision for educator preparation that is consistent with California’s approach to educator preparation and confirms that the mission and vision will be published on the website and in institutional documentation provided to candidates. | Arizona State University (ASU) is committed to an inclusive, equity-driven approach to education, as reflected in its charter: “[Success is] not measured by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed.” This commitment is realized through ASU’s design aspirations, which guide its approach to educator preparation: • Advancing research and discovery of public value • Measuring success by the achievements of those we include • Taking fundamental responsibility for community health • Being socially embedded • Conducting research based on user needs • Engaging globally • Practicing Principled Innovation®
The mission of the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation (MLFC) is to create knowledge, mobilize people and take action to improve education. This mission aligns with California’s approach to educator preparation by emphasizing equity, effectiveness and responsiveness to the diverse needs of learners and communities. MLFC’s vision for educator preparation is rooted in the belief that high-quality teacher preparation is essential for building an effective and stable teacher workforce. Faculty members within MLFC advance knowledge in the science of learning, the practice of teaching and the impact of education policy, ensuring that educator preparation programs are evidence-based and responsive to evolving educational needs. The college equips candidates with the knowledge, skills and opportunities necessary for success through accessible, personalized and transformative degree programs, including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as nondegree professional development initiatives. In alignment with California’s emphasis on learner-centered and evidence-based teaching practices, MLFC fosters partnerships that address real-world challenges and promote continuous professional growth. Programs are designed to prepare educators with the skills and knowledge necessary to support student success, enhance instructional effectiveness, and respond to the evolving needs of schools and communities. A key initiative within MLFC is the Next Education Workforce which reimagines educator roles by fostering collaborative teams with distributed expertise. This approach enhances student learning experiences while providing educators with opportunities for specialization and professional advancement. Additionally, the Center for Whole-Child Education applies insights from the science of learning and development to prepare educators to support students’ academic, social and emotional well-being. The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) further advances MLFC’s commitment to equity by identifying and addressing systemic challenges in education. MLFC confirms that its mission and vision for educator preparation will be published on its website and included in institutional documentation provided to candidates. These materials will also include information on California-approved educator preparation programs, ensuring transparency and accessibility for all stakeholders. | |
| (c) Provide information about how the mission and vision for educator preparation reflects the institution’s commitment to California’s adopted state standards and frameworks for TK-12 students. | The mission and vision of the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation (MLFC) for educator preparation reflect a deep commitment to California’s adopted state standards and frameworks for TK-12 students. Grounded in the principles of the ASU Charter, which emphasizes inclusion, student success and advancing public value, MLFC is dedicated to preparing educators who can meet the diverse needs of all learners. The ASU Charter states: “ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.” This foundational commitment shapes MLFC’s approach to fostering equity, access and inclusive excellence — values that are central to California’s standards and frameworks for TK-12 education. MLFC’s educator preparation programs will be designed to ensure candidates are well-equipped to understand and implement California’s TK-12 content standards, curriculum frameworks and instructional models. This includes preparing future educators to create inclusive and equitable learning environments that address the unique cultural, social and linguistic backgrounds of all students. MLFC’s mission also aligns with California’s focus on fostering learner-centered environments by integrating research-driven practices into its preparation programs. For example, the Center for Whole-Child Education and the Center on Reinventing Public Education work to equip educators with the skills and knowledge to address systemic inequities, implement developmentally appropriate practices and prioritize student well-being.
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| (d) Provide information about the institution’s philosophical and/or theoretical framework or approach underlying the design of educator preparation. This is not a description of the program design, which will be submitted when your institution responds to program standards in Stage IV. | Guiding framework for educator preparation MLFC’s educator preparation programs are shaped by a comprehensive philosophical and theoretical framework that prioritizes accessible, personalized and transformative learning experiences. This framework is based on the belief that every aspiring educator should have the resources and opportunities necessary for success, enabling them to create meaningful learning experiences in diverse educational settings.
To achieve this, MLFC advances learner-centered education by developing effective teaching practices and creating dynamic learning environments that respond to students' academic and developmental needs. Learner-centered education is a key academic and instructional focus within the college, ensuring that programs remain adaptive and relevant.
Holistic support for student success The Office of Academic and Career Success (OACiS) plays a critical role in supporting MLFC candidates throughout their educational journey. OACiS offers academic advising, wellness and academic coaching, and financial coaching, providing personalized resources tailored to each student’s needs. This holistic approach ensures that future educators are supported both academically and personally as they prepare for their careers.
Theoretical foundations and standards MLFC’s programs are built on established national teacher preparation standards, including InTASC, ISTE, CEC and NAEYC. These standards guide curriculum development and ensure alignment with best practices in teacher preparation. Additionally, MLFC integrates Principled Innovation® and key transformational elements, which emphasize ethical decision-making, instructional effectiveness and the development of skills needed to navigate today’s complex educational environments.
Program-Level Outcomes (PLOs) and data-driven improvement The Program-Level Outcomes define the essential knowledge, skills and dispositions that graduates are expected to master. These outcomes shape curriculum design and assessment, ensuring coherence across courses. Assignments and rubrics are aligned to PLOs using a hashtag tracking system, allowing real-time monitoring of student progress. This data-driven approach enables continuous program improvement by identifying areas where candidates may need additional support.
Flexible and accessible learning experiences MLFC’s curriculum is designed to remove barriers and increase accessibility. Programs are structured to offer flexible learning pathways, allowing students to accelerate or decelerate their course pace, choose specializations and explore elective options. Learning is not restricted by program enrollment, location or rigid time constraints, ensuring that students have multiple pathways to success.
Reflective and innovative practice MLFC emphasizes dynamic and reflective practice in educator preparation. Beyond meeting standards, programs focus on developing innovative, research-based teaching methods that enhance student learning. Collaborations with initiatives such as the Center for Whole-Child Education and the Next Education Workforce provide candidates with hands-on experience in implementing effective, learner-centered instructional strategies in TK-12 settings. This comprehensive approach ensures that MLFC graduates are well-equipped to address the challenges of today’s classrooms while also driving innovation and continuous improvement in education. | |
| (e) Provide information that demonstrates the institution’s commitment to preparing candidates who will work effectively with the full range of California TK-12 students. | Mary Lou Fulton College (MLFC) is deeply committed to preparing candidates to work effectively with the full range of California TK-12 students, reflecting the state’s diverse populations and the principles of equity and inclusion. MLFC’s educator preparation programs are designed around three core domains, each with a clear focus on equipping future educators with the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to support all learners effectively:
Domain 1: Education Design and Decision Making (DDM) Graduates of MLFC programs design, implement and assess learning environments that promote equitable outcomes for all students. • Professional educators are trained to create safe, inclusive and responsive classrooms where all learners can thrive. • Emphasis is placed on collaboration with colleagues, school leadership and families to enhance student learning, improve school culture and build teacher efficacy. • Candidates develop empathy, inter- and intrapersonal awareness, and resiliency while fostering these traits within the broader school community. • Field experiences and coursework prioritize time for co-planning, data analysis and dialogue to address students’ needs effectively.
Domain 2: Professional Growth, Leadership, Advocacy and Ethics (GLAE) MLFC candidates are prepared to lead and advocate for all students, families and communities while committing to lifelong professional growth. • Professional development is central to the program, with candidates engaging in ongoing learning and using evidence-based practices to evaluate and improve outcomes for students and stakeholders. • Candidates are encouraged to reflect continuously on their practices, adapt to the needs of their students and embrace their role as educational leaders from the outset of their careers. • Advocacy for equity and the success of every learner is a foundational expectation for graduates.
Domain 3: Educator Scholar and Integrative Knowledge (ESK) MLFC graduates apply advanced knowledge and innovative thinking to practical challenges, driving positive change in education. • Candidates integrate broad knowledge across disciplines and develop intellectual skills to address complex issues in TK-12 settings. • The program encourages "possibility thinking" to imagine and implement new solutions that benefit all students, families and communities.
Commitment to progression and mastery Each domain includes four to six cognitively complex Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs), with indicators at three progression levels: Introduced, Reinforced and Assessed (for mastery). This scaffolded approach ensures that graduates achieve full mastery of the skills, knowledge and dispositions necessary for success as educators in diverse TK-12 environments.
Focus on inclusive excellence MLFC’s teacher preparation programs integrate coursework and field experiences that emphasize: • Culturally responsive teaching practices: Equipping candidates to honor and leverage students’ cultural backgrounds as assets in learning. • Strategies for supporting English language learners: Preparing educators to meet the needs of California’s multilingual student population. • Inclusive instruction for students with special needs: Ensuring candidates can create accessible and equitable learning opportunities for all students. • Recognizing and mitigating implicit bias: Fostering self-awareness and reducing barriers to equity in education. • Promoting equity and social justice in education: Instilling a commitment to addressing systemic inequities and advocating for all learners.
Alignment with California’s TK-12 standards MLFC’s program aligns with California’s standards and frameworks, ensuring that candidates are prepared to meet the state’s high expectations for educators. Through a combination of rigorous coursework, hands-on fieldwork and a focus on equity, MLFC graduates are ready to create meaningful, inclusive and transformative learning experiences for all California TK-12 students. | |
(f) Provide any other relevant information the institution believes will allow the Commission to better understand the institution and its programs. | In 2002, ASU set forth on a new and ambitious trajectory to become a comprehensive knowledge enterprise dedicated to the simultaneous pursuit of excellence, broad access to quality education and meaningful societal impact. In 2024, for the 10th year in a row, ASU was named No. 1 in innovation in the annual “Best Colleges” 2025 rankings by U.S. News & World Report — just one of many top rankings earned by the university. ASU has placed first in the peer-nominated category every year since the “most innovative” category was created by U.S. News & World Report magazine.
The ASU Charter is as follows:
“ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.”
Under this charter, ASU has demonstrated that research excellence and broad accessibility are not mutually exclusive. The university is committed to offering admission to all academically qualified students, regardless of financial need, while maintaining the admission standards of the great research universities of the 21th century.
In a given year — counting unique enrollments across all sessions of fall, spring and summer — ASU enrolls more than 181,000 students.
In its research enterprise, ASU is determined to be of ever-greater service to the nation and the world, advancing innovation on all fronts with research that imparts broadly egalitarian benefits across the entirety of society. ASU’s most prominent research initiatives are in alignment with critical national goals. ASU will soon reach $1 billion in annual research expenditures, joining the University of California, Berkeley and the Georgia Institute of Technology as the U.S. institutions without a medical school to achieve this milestone.
Our significant enrollment growth has been accompanied by increases in persistence, graduation rates, degree production, and learning and academic success.
ASU’s goal is to produce “master learners” — graduates who are not only experts in their fields but who are also adaptable, creative and prepared to learn anything in a rapidly evolving world. ASU has emerged as the leading American center for education and learning technology. ASU leverages technology to realize its expansive social footprint while simultaneously increasing performance and quality.
Technology allows differentiation of core learning methods and the advancement of successful student learning outcomes across a broad student population and facilitates ASU’s expansion into new teaching and learning realms. ASU Online — which has enabled the graduation of more than 100,000 students — continues its commitment to expand educational opportunities to students within the United States and around the world, especially in locations where it has historically been difficult to access higher education.
As one example, ASU has long recognized the need for more and better-educated STEM graduates. NeoSTEM is ASU’s paradigm-shifting approach to teaching science, and it is creating opportunities for ASU and our partners. Currently, students use NeoBio in ASU’s introductory biology courses. NeoBio has two main pillars: adaptive learning, which replaces the conventional, lecture-and-textbook learning of a traditional class, and immersion in a virtual reality lab, which combines powerful technology and narrative-style storytelling through Dreamscape Learn, a venture led by ASU and Dreamscape Immersive. Improvements in student outcomes have held across demographic and socioeconomic groups and leveled the playing field between students who had studied biology in the past and those who had not.
Like the state of California, ASU is committed to solutions for a sustainable planet, and our entire community is included in those efforts. ASU established the first medical center for the planet. The Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory (GFL) is a prototype of a university within a university, an institution dedicated to shaping positive global futures with an ability to put ideas into action. Through research across more than 40 centers and units based in the Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation, GFL is understanding Earth systems and their needs and projecting our futures. ASU is one of the first major research universities to require all students to take a course in sustainability.
ASU is proud of our contributions to California. ASU is already one of the largest universities enrolling California residents, enrolling more than 20,000 students from the state. ASU now operates in Los Angeles at the ASU California Center. ASU has been approved by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education to offer postsecondary education to students in the state.
ASU is committed to partnership. For example, ASU Local is a new kind of college program that gives students access to a “hybrid university”: the benefits of online education with an in-person community. ASU Local sites are embedded in the heart of the communities we serve. In California, sites are located on the campuses of partners, including Long Beach City College and Southwestern Community College. | |
Required information for institutions who already offer educator preparation programs outside of the state of California: (g) Provide, if applicable, a description of the ways in which the proposed program for California would be similar or different from programs operated in another state(s). | The proposed programs for California will retain some foundational elements from our existing programs in other states while incorporating key adaptations to meet California’s unique requirements and context.
Similarities between Arizona and California programs Foundational core courses:
These courses were selected because they provide essential introductory skills and align closely with the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs). They are designed to establish a strong foundation for candidates to build upon throughout their program.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
Differences in the proposed California programs
Rationale for adaptations These differences ensure that the California programs are not merely adaptations of existing programs but are intentionally designed to prepare educators who are responsive to the unique needs of California’s students, schools and communities. By aligning closely with state standards and priorities, the programs will produce educators who are equipped to excel in California’s diverse educational landscape. |