2022-2023 Educator Preparation

Preparing the next generation of educators through community partnership, equity and innovation.

The Ohio State University Educator Preparation Programs collaborate with district and community partners to develop high-quality educators. This partnership fulfills an essential element in preparing future educators and leaders, resulting in meaningful professional experiences in diverse educational settings.

This snapshot details how educator preparation programs engage with Ohio communities and align with the mission and goals of the university and state. The information provided represents Ohio State’s Educator Preparation Programs during the 2022-2023 academic year from the colleges of: Arts and Sciences; Education and Human Ecology; Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Nursing; and Social Work.

Prepared by: Office of Accreditation, Placement and Licensure (APL)

Our Reach and Impact Throughout Ohio

Educator Preparation Program students were placed in 144 Ohio Public Districts in 429 Ohio Public Schools and 25 other educational settings with 1,204 site mentors. Since 2020, Ohio State has prepared approximately 400 new teacher candidates annually with about 100 other educator licensure areas, such as school administrators and pupil services. While the number of placements slightly decreased since the 2021-2022 academic year, programs continue to strategically select diverse and high-quality field placements that allow students to learn in a variety of environments. Reciprocal P-12 partnerships ensure Ohio State licensure completers are well prepared for their future careers in education. 

Overview of Programs and Highlights

Ohio State's diverse, nationally ranked programs produce highly effective educators. The Art Education, Music Education, Speech Pathology and School Audiology programs are hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences. The Agriscience Education program is hosted by the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The School Nurse program is hosted by the College of Nursing. The School Social Work program is hosted by the College of Social Work. All other programs are hosted by the College of Education and Human Ecology.

Programs Nationally Ranked by US News & World Report

High-Quality Completer Outcomes

Meeting Ohio School and Workforce Needs

Meeting the needs of Ohio schools is intrinsic to our mission and vision. The College of Education and Human Ecology has identified the three following pillars to prepare Educator Preparation Program students to meet the needs of an evolving Ohio workforce.

Student Placements Across Ohio

With campuses located across the state, Ohio State ensures that students collaborate in a variety of settings. Most Ohio State licensure students attend several placements in a year, oftentimes requiring various levels of involvement with diverse students and mentors at different buildings, grade levels, and/or subject areas to ensure they are exposed to the multiple facets their license covers. Program representatives make intentional efforts to expose Ohio State students to settings in two or more school types (urban, suburban, small town and rural) when making their placement requests. 

*Placements represented do not include pre-program data.
**School geographic classifications are based on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Typology of Ohio School Districts for urban, suburban, small town and rural districts. Other locations include public non-charter schools such as career-technical schools, independent preschools or non-school placements such as after-school programs.

Expanding Reach Across Ohio

Ohio State produces uniquely prepared graduates who have been afforded diverse, practical experiences. This model best equips them to excel in school settings after graduation. As Ohio and many states across the country face teacher shortages, Ohio State not only prepares educators for these high-need areas, but the P-12 partners who host our students also play a direct role in ensuring their success. In addition, these partners often view our partnership as an integral component of their recruitment pipeline. To help further combat the shortage issue, Ohio State hosted one of five regional educator shortage summits across the state in Fall 2022 to work towards solutions for Central Ohio.

Placement Trends Across Ohio

Historically, Ohio State students are placed in schools in over half of Ohio’s counties. In the 2022-2023 academic year, these partnerships expanded into 25 additional public districts than recent years. Students continue to be intentionally clustered in common buildings to foster collaboration and shared learning opportunities, thereby accounting for the steady decrease in the number of school sites.

Student Voices

2022-2023 Graduate and Undergraduate Enrollment in Pre-Service Teacher* Preparation Programs

*This image details teacher education candidates from various degree and licensure-only programs throughout The Ohio State University. Advanced and pupil services programs are not included in these data.

Mentors Are Critical Partners When Preparing the Next Generation of Educators

Mentor educators play a significant role in the development of The Ohio State University students. We know that coursework grounded in research and theory, along with high-quality, diverse field experiences is imperative to producing effective teachers. This is why Ohio State partners with districts throughout the state to ensure students have experiences in diverse communities with experienced mentor teachers. In the 2022-2023 term, mentors agreed at a rate of 92% that program expectations prepared students to be successful in-service teachers. Students agree that their relationships with their mentors are a hallmark of their student experience.

Inclusive and Diverse Placements

99% of Ohio State initial licensure students who graduated in 2022-2023 gained experience in at least one inclusive and diverse school environment throughout their program. Over half (58.7%) of the same cohort completed a placement in all four inclusive learning environments.*

*School diversity categories are defined by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW). Ohio State educator preparation programs quantify diversity across four areas. A school is considered diverse if the percentage of P-12 students in the four identified subgroups is above the state average for that category. APL updates school data and thresholds every five years based on school trends. More information on state student enrollment can be found on the ODEW website.

Strategic Partnerships to Support Future Generations

Each year, College of Education and Human Ecology faculty and graduate students collaborate with P-12 educators to conduct research in schools. This research allows us to test new ideas and interventions and share findings. It adds to our collective knowledge about how to enhance teaching and learning.

In the 2022-2023 academic year, the total number of hours spent by college faculty, staff or students conducting research in schools was 4,102 hours. Ohio public districts hosted 3,921 hours of these projects.

Research by hours 

Research conducted in:

A Collaborative Approach to the Future of Education

District partners and Ohio State value a symbiotic relationship rooted in the benefits of experiential learning and research-driven practices. In return for hosting research activities and college student placements in their schools, districts get a return on their investment.

Partnership aids in reduced student/teacher ratios, coordinated efforts in research and inservice practices and a pipeline of educators ready to hit the ground running. Additionally, districts receive tuition waivers for educators to take graduate courses. Partner districts earned 2,649 waivers in 2022-2023. These waivers are used by educators to participate in courses that aid in professional development, licensure renewal and obtaining additional credentials and/or new degrees.