A recent study ranked NIU’s College of Education 15th in the nation and third in the state based on the number of professional presentations by each school’s education faculty.

Illinois’ top-ranking education department is located at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, which ranked fifth in the nation.

Jim Johnson, NIU clinical education and student services director, said this kind of study “tells something about a department, but it doesn’t try to get at the quality of instruction or the success of the graduates.

NIU began as Northern Illinois State Normal School in 1899 with a system where students practiced classroom teaching at public schools. This system is still being implemented by the College of Education. “There is a lot more built into the program now—theory and coursework, as well as the practical side of things,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the department has student teaching contracts with about 300 schools throughout Northern Illinois.

Johnson said out of about 500 students in the college, about 200 new elementary school teachers are graduated from the college each year. He said the number has increased recently to reflect a larger demand for teachers. Students majoring in special education have six emphases to choose from. “It is a more diverse field than many people think,” Johnson said.

NIU’s education faculty include 180 full-time and 24 part-time teachers, Education Assistant Dean Robert Karabinus said.

Nancy Quisenberry, SIU assistant dean for academic affairs, said about 1,000 students are enrolled in teaching programs at SIU, and the department employs about 150 faculty members.

SIU also began as a school for teacher education, opening in 1874. Its College of Education offers student teaching placements in nine school districts in the Carbondale area. SIU also has been placing its student teachers in suburban Chicago school districts for the past 10 years.

SIU’s program recently has been revised to include courses dealing with classroom management and discipline. The university also has adopted a program which allows students to begin education classes as early as their sophomore year.

NIU and SIU have different criteria for admission into their teacher education programs. NIU’s requirements include a passing grade in all professional education courses and satisfactory performance on a pre-professional skills test.

SIU requires a minimum of 30 completed semester hours, three letters of recommendation from college or university faculty, and an ACT or SAT score in the 60th percentile.