In 2012, the faculty and leadership of the School of Education determined to reshape Salem State's teacher education program into one that prepared state-of-the art educators for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To this end, faculty met with area administrators, teachers, and parents to identify what schools’ needs were for teacher preparation programs. They held ongoing meetings with the staff from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as well as consulting the research and other highly effective teacher preparation programs.

The School of Education faculty, staff, and administration spent all of 2013 redesigning the program to be field-based and driven by strategies likely to result in success for not only Salem State students, but the Pk-12 students they would be teaching as well. This new program was put into place in the fall of 2014 with an inaugural cohort of about 40 juniors. These students helped further shape the program by sharing their experiences with being embedded in the classrooms of host teachers for the academic year, demonstrating their learning through programmatic assessments, and finally by standing out during their student teaching year and making an impact on their schools during their first year of teaching.

We have seen growing demand for this field-based, initial licensure, dual-degree program among our students and from our partner districts. Our graduates have substantial experience working directly with Pk-12 students and understand that the role of the teacher extends far beyond the simple design and delivery of instruction.

The Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program became accredited in 2015 and remains fully accredited by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

In 2022, Cummings Foundation donated $10 million to Salem State University’s School of Education to support programs and initiatives aimed at diversifying, strengthening, and sustaining the next generation of educators. The gift represents the largest cash contribution ever made in the history of the nine Massachusetts state universities. To recognize the university’s continued partnership with Cummings Foundation, Salem State named its School of Education, the university’s founding program, after alumnus James L. (Jamie) McKeown ’77, establishing the McKeown School of Education.

Updated 12/27/2022