Ritter Hall sits on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, home to a college that has spent more than a century preparing teachers, counselors, and psychologists for the realities of education. This is North Philadelphia, and the setting matters. The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has maintained a longstanding commitment to preparing educators in an urban context and serving the communities of metropolitan Philadelphia.
The story, as Temple tells it, begins in 1884, when the university offered its first course for teachers, “Kindergarten Theory,” to teachers from the School District of Philadelphia. By 1901, Laura Carnell was offering the first systematic teacher education program for teachers from the district. By 1919, those efforts had become Teachers College, with George Walk named dean. A century later, the college celebrated its centennial, and in 2020 it took the name it carries today.
The Woman Reframing the Mission
When Dean Monika Williams Shealey arrived in the summer of 2023, she became the first woman to lead the college in its history. Shealey came to Temple from Rowan University, where she had been dean of the College of Education and the first African American dean in that college’s history.
She holds a BA in specific learning disabilities and an MA in varying exceptionalities from the University of South Florida, an EdS in reading and learning disabilities from the University of Miami, and a PhD in education from the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include the intersection of urban and special education, the experiences of traditionally marginalized groups in teacher and special education, and leadership in teacher education.
“I am thrilled to join the Temple community and work collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff, as well as internal and external partners, in carrying forth the vision and mission of the College of Education and Human Development,” she said upon her appointment. She added that she looked forward to demonstrating the college’s commitment to social justice and community uplift through its curricula and programming, faculty and staff recruitment and retention, student success, and service to diverse communities.
Under her leadership, the college introduced a new mission, vision, and values, launched a new master’s degree in urban education and policy, and reaffirmed its commitment to Philadelphia and the School District of Philadelphia. In 2025, at the Philadelphia Tribune’s Women of Achievement Luncheon, Shealey reflected on the moment she is leading through: “I’m honored to be acknowledged for leading our college during a time when providing access to an outstanding education is becoming elusive.”
A Vision Built Around Equity
Every college states a mission. Temple CEHD’s is unusually direct: its vision is “a world where all people have access to an outstanding education.” Its mission is to educate, support, and prepare learners and leaders who advance equitable systems and practices in schools and communities through research, teaching, service, and community partnerships.
Six values anchor that mission: Community, Equity, Excellence, Inclusion, Leadership, and Learning. The college defines equity as evaluating structures to reduce systemic bias and providing opportunities and support for each person to realize their full potential.
50,000 Alumni and a Teacher Residency Built for Philadelphia
The scale of the college is substantial: more than 50,000 alumni live in all 50 states and 18 countries, while its academic portfolio includes more than 50 degrees and certificates. In 2026, CEHD was ranked No. 41 nationally among graduate schools of education by U.S. News & World Report, marking its fourth consecutive year in the top 50.
For aspiring teachers, the Temple Teacher Residency offers an accelerated route into the profession. In 12 months, or 13.5 months for special education, residents can earn a Master of Education while completing the coursework and fieldwork required for Pennsylvania Instructional I certification. Residents work alongside experienced mentor teachers for a full academic year in high-need Philadelphia schools.
The college’s broader work also includes the Institute on Disabilities, which became part of the college in 1990, and the Intergenerational Center, which joined in 2015.
A College That Steps Outside Its Doors
Temple CEHD’s community commitment extends beyond its classrooms. In July 2026, the college participated in Fill the Flight, a universitywide school-supplies drive designed to provide full backpacks for local students preparing to return to school. CEHD was among the Temple units helping collect supplies for North Philadelphia students.
The college has also maintained a long-running relationship with the surrounding community through initiatives connected to the Choice Neighborhood Initiative. In 2014, Temple’s College of Education received a multi-million-dollar grant connected to the initiative, supporting educational resources and programming in North Central Philadelphia and surrounding schools.
In 2026, Temple University also supported the Philadelphia250 School Block Party program, which brought free events to five Philadelphia public schools, including Tanner Duckrey School.
Shealey’s own national role reinforces the college’s focus on educator preparation. She is the immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, which represents more than 800 postsecondary institutions with educator preparation programs.
For CEHD, teacher preparation is therefore inseparable from the communities teachers ultimately serve. Its history, programs, partnerships, and current leadership all point toward the same proposition: educators are prepared not simply to enter classrooms, but to help create more equitable schools and stronger communities.
