The IU School of Education rose nearly 20 spots from a year ago to 26th in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best Online Master's in Education Program rankings.

The IU School of Education's double-digit rise from 45th a year ago was augmented by its performance in new specialty rankings, including a No. 1 ranking in Education/Instructional Media Design. It also ranked fifth in Special Education and seventh in Administration.

"As we continue to explore ways to bring access and high-quality programs to various student populations in Indiana and throughout the world, it is very rewarding to see the impact of our faculty commitment be recognized," said Lemuel W. Watson, Provost Professor and dean of the IU School of Education in Bloomington. "We are very committed to making sure that we remain relevant, innovative and inspiring as the Indiana University School of Education."

“It is great to see our strong programs and expert faculty recognized,” said Sarah Lubienski, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. “I hope our high rankings will encourage prospective students to look at all that our programs have to offer.”

The rise of the School of Education is particularly notable for the top ranking in Education/Instruction Media Design. The school has a long history of being at the forefront of using technology in education.

"We are quite pleased to see our online program in teacher preparation for special educators recognized for its crucial efforts to improve outcomes for young people with disabilities," said Jeff Anderson, Curriculum and Instruction department chair. "Although special education was mandated through federal legislation more than 40 years ago, the U.S. has never produced anywhere near enough qualified teachers to meet the need in the field. Even worse, history has shown clearly how the lack of qualified teachers translates into poor outcomes for students with disabilities. The IU online special education program is committed to confronting these challenges by using cutting edge technology to make teacher preparation widely available." 

"I’m excited to see that our Educational Leadership faculty’s hard work has been recognized," said Dionne Danns, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department chair. "We value educating future school leaders and our partnerships with districts has been instrumental in our success."

IU has been a forerunner in online programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level for more than 20 years, now offering more than 135 online degree and certificate programs. In fall 2019, more than 32,200 students enrolled in IU Online programs, including 26,215 undergraduate students. Across IU, nearly 35 percent of all students took one or more online classes in fall 2019, and 8,768 are enrolled in 100 percent online schedules.