EUGENE–The graduate program at the University of Oregon College of Education ranks first in the Northwest, fifth among public colleges and universities in the nation and 11th overall, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The magazine’s annual Best Graduate Schools edition, which in recent years has consistently ranked the UO education college among the nation’s top 50, appears on newsstands today (April 2).

These are the highest national rankings the UO College of Education has received. They come only 10 years after the college had to make drastic cuts in its teacher education programs following the passage of Measure 5, the property tax limitation approved by Oregon voters in 1990.

The UO education program improved from last year’s ranking as 20th in the nation and 14th among publicly funded institutions. For the second year in a row, the report lists the UO’s Special Education Program as the third best in the country.

"We are thrilled with these rankings," says Marty Kaufman, dean of the UO College of Education. "Our reputation as one of the best education programs in the nation continues to grow."

Kaufman says the college has gained national visibility and presence through research partnerships with schools that led to improved student behavior and academic performance. The national importance of the UO College of Education’s faculty and research efforts also drew U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige as a speaker at the Oregon Conference March 1 in Eugene.

Researchers at the college contribute to federal, state and local programs to improve the teaching of reading and language arts, have developed innovative and effective programs to enhance school safety and are national leaders in curriculum assessment. For the fifth year in a row, the UO education faculty received more research and training grant funds than any other education faculty at a public university.

"We received $21.5 million in research funding last year," says Kaufman. "That is the highest funding amount received by any public school ranked in the report. And in terms of research dollars per faculty member, we are almost twice as productive as our nearest competitor. These ratings reflect growing national recognition of the college’s faculty research contributions."

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