September 2026 Newsletter

Top Stories

Can Emergency Permits Open the Door to Lasting Teaching Careers?

Emergency teaching permits are often seen as a warning sign: evidence that schools are filling classrooms with teachers who haven’t completed their credential requirements. But new research from Drs. Tom Smith and Yiwang Li suggests a more promising—and complicated—picture. The study found that five years after entering the classroom on emergency permits, 62% were still teaching in California public schools, and more than half had earned preliminary or clear credentials.

Emergency permits have the potential to broaden and diversify California’s educator workforce, but opening the door is only the first step. Without preparation and support, teachers who enter through this pathway may struggle to stay in the profession. Read more about Smith and Li’s findings and recommendations for turning emergency permits into lasting teaching careers.

Kristine Espinoza Joins School of Education Faculty

The School of Education welcomed assistant professor Dr. Kristine Espinoza to our faculty in July. Espinoza’s research examines how racial classifications and institutional designations, such as Hispanic-Serving and Minority-Serving Institutions, shape the resources and support available to students. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and an M.Ed. in educational administration and bachelor’s degrees in biology and anthropology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Learn more about the experiences that shaped Espinoza’s research and the expertise she brings to UC Davis.

Samuel Blanco Recognized with National Educational Opportunity Award

Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound Director Samuel Blanco III was honored by the Council for Opportunity in Education with the Walter O. Mason Jr. Award. The award recognizes Blanco’s contributions to college opportunity programs and his work to improve educational equity for students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities. Blanco has served the UC Davis TRIO Programs for 35 years and held roles as board chair of the Council for Opportunity in Education, president of the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel, and TRIO trainer at Sonoma State University.

A Look Ahead with Our Newest Credential Students

Hear from our newest credential cohort about what they’re excited to learn this year during their classes and while student teaching. Visit us on YouTube or Instagram for more student and alumni stories.

Events

Explore Creativity and the Arts with a Filmmaker and Literacy Scholar

How can creative work contribute to more equitable education? Join award-winning director, screenwriter, and producer Luiza Botelho and University of Connecticut literacy scholar, educator, and artist Dr. Grace D. Player on October 22 at the UC Davis International Center for “Creative Praxis, Multiliteracies, and the Arts.” Part of the Expanding Equity in Educational Research speaker series, the event brings together perspectives from filmmaking and literacy education. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., with presentations from 4:00–6:00 p.m. and a reception to follow. Learn more and register for this free event.

School of Education Gathers to Celebrate Start of the Academic Year [Photo Gallery]

School of Education faculty, staff, students, friends, and family came together this month to celebrate the start of the 2026–27 academic year with food and fun. Acting Dean Michal Kurlaender and Dean Tom Smith thanked attendees for their continued contributions to the School and wished them a successful year. Congratulations to all who won this year’s games! View the Fall Welcome photo gallery.

Future Teachers Kick Off Their Credential Journey [Photo Gallery]

The 2026–27 credential student cohort gathered at the UC Davis Alumni Center to kick off their first quarter, meet with faculty members, connect with peers, and begin discussing the diverse realities and experiences they’ll encounter as teachers. Dean Tom Smith and the Chair and Associate Chair of Teacher Education, Alexis Patterson Williams and Lola Muldrew, also reminded students of the lasting impact they’ll have on learners and their communities. “Many people talk about making change, but you’ll be creating it,” Smith said. See photos from the 2026–27 Teacher Education Kick-off.

Student and Alumni News

When Ph.D. students and writing instructors Ana Castellon and Casey Manogue asked their classes to use ChatGPT, they didn’t expect in-depth discussions about humanity and the written voice. Read more about what they learned from their students as they collected classroom data on writing and artificial intelligence use.

Alison Sanders, Ed.D. ’22, was appointed associate chancellor and chief of staff for UC Santa Cruz and will work closely with Chancellor Cynthia Larive to implement her vision across campus. Sanders has more than 25 years of experience in higher education, having previously served as assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief of staff in the UC San Diego Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor, as well as chief of staff for the president of San Francisco State University.

 

Akirah Bradley-Armstrong, Ed.D. ’17, was appointed vice chancellor for student life at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In this role, Bradley-Armstrong will oversee student life programs and services for undergraduate and graduate students, including dining, well-being and support, student organizations, the Department of Athletics, and living communities. She joins MIT from UC Santa Cruz, where she served as vice chancellor for student affairs from 2022 to 2026.

 

Michael Bedoya, Cred. ’21, M.A. ’22, received the Dinuba Unified School District and Tulare County Teacher of the Year awards. Bedoya teaches social science and broadcasting, and “exemplifies what it means to educate the whole child while fostering belonging, character, and pride within the school community,” said the Tulare County Office of Education.
 

Ph.D. candidate Andre Anderson-Thompson was selected for the American Educational Research Association’s 2026–27 Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research. This highly competitive program provides funding, mentorship, and professional guidance to members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in educational research. As a fellow, Anderson-Thompson will continue work on his dissertation, “Black Boy Innocence: A Portrait of the Public Waldorf School Model within Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD).”
 

Ph.D. candidate Antoinette Banks was selected for a fellowship with Echoing Green, a social impact organization that connects leaders across industries with the funding, resources, and support needed to bring their ideas to life. As a fellow, Banks will continue growing her company Expert IEP, which works to make the special education system and Individualized Education Program (IEP) process easier for families to navigate. 

 

Show Your School of Education Pride

You’ll find mugs, hats, and shirts in a variety of styles, and more featuring the School of Education logo at the online UC Davis Store. Proceeds from all store sales benefit UC Davis Athletics.