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School of Education

Prepare for a Career in Education

Trinity’s education students and graduates impact local communities and bring about positive change for young people and their families. Your professors bring topics to life by drawing on their own experiences as current practitioners creating change in education: locally, regionally, and nationally. Our coursework and practicum experiences provide a competency-based education with school-based support.

  • Convenient catalog of classes that fit your personal and professional schedule
  • Our programs include specific attention to trauma-informed care and inclusive practices.
  • Trinity programs are among the most affordable in the region, and customized financial aid packages are available.
  • We also offer Continuing Education classes for professional development.

CAEP - Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation OSSE

Trinity’s School of Education is Accredited by CAEP and approved by OSSE with reciprocity in most states.

Making Your Education Affordable

Your education at Trinity is a great investment in your future success!  Thousands of Trinity graduates report high levels of satisfaction and strong earnings thanks to their Trinity degrees.

Trinity makes your investment affordable by keeping tuition low and providing generous grants, scholarships and other forms of financial aid.

  • Trinity’s tuition is the lowest among private universities in the Washington DC region;
  • 100% of Trinity’s full-time undergraduates receive financial aid, with many receiving grants and scholarships that cover almost all tuition and even some living expenses;
  • Professional undergraduates and graduate students may be eligible for grants and other forms of financial aid; many employers have tuition support programs as well.

Learn more about how Trinity helps you to get a great return on your investment.

Tuition & Fees

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News & Events

Prepare for Success
Fall New Student Orientation Schedules

An important and exciting time for new students to get acquainted, discover support resources, and learn strategies for success. Attendance is required.

Graduation
Video: Spring Commencement

Trinity proudly celebrates its 122nd commencement with two ceremonies on May 16 and 17, 2025. Watch the recorded livestreams here!

Academic Programs

Quality

The track record of Trinity’s School of Education speaks for itself. Many of the region’s educational administrators and award-winning teachers earned their degrees at Trinity. Let your success story join theirs.

Location in DC

The Washington DC region is a national leader in education, having incubated many innovative educational firsts. Be part of the cutting edge of your field with boundless opportunities.

Convenient Schedule

Earning your degree in Trinity’s School of Education can fit almost any schedule with course formats including daytime, evening, weekend, online and face-to-face classes.

Christine Gorowara

Meet the Dean: Dr. Christine Gorowara

Dr. Christine Carrino Gorowara has extensive leadership experience in the accreditation of teacher education programs.  She served as vice president of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), and then subsequently as vice president of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).  She also participated in the founding of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).  Dr. Gorowara has recently been elected to the board of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) and has been president of the Delaware Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.  She has been an active leader and participant in many other educational organizations.  She has participated in numerous initiatives addressing diversifying the teacher pipeline, ensuring culturally responsive competence in Delaware educator preparation graduates, and incorporating anti-racist curriculum in PK-12 schools.  She co-led the founding of a Montessori charter school to serve low income families in Delaware.

Dr. Gorowara earned her B.A. in Mathematics at the University of Akron, M.S. in Mathematics at Ohio State, and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a Concentration in Mathematics Education at the University of Delaware.  She also holds a certificate in Regulatory Analysis and Decision Making from the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law.

Meet the Faculty

Our faculty and staff reflect our student body; more than 60%  are women and men of color. The talented faculty have developed extensive expertise in the practice of inclusive excellence pedagogy to ensure that you are engaged and supported in your academic program.

Profiles of Success

Brandon McCoy, ’25

Brandon McCoy, ’25, was named the Friendship Public Charter School District Teacher of the Year 2024. Brandon earned his Master of Science in Education Administration in 2025 from Trinity Washington University School of Education, Washington...

Jessica Gonzalez ’19

Jessica Gonzalez, ’19, is the Director InclusiveDC at SchoolTalk Inc in Washington D.C. where she is in charge of a large budget on behalf of this non-profit. Jessica earned her Master of Science in School...

Shemeka Ivy ’23

Shemeka Ivy ’23, got her Master of Science in Education Administration from the Trinity Washington University School of Education. She is now the Assistant Principal at Rock Creek Forest Elementary School of the Montgomery County...

Eugene Pinkard ’01

Eugene Pinkard is an experienced educator and policy leader who currently serves as director of practice and leadership, at the Aspen Institute’s Education and Society program. The Aspen Institute is an influential, global nonprofit organization...

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Accreditation & Program Approval

Educator preparation programs at Trinity Washington University are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).  The 2019 CAEP review included the following programs: 

  • Bachelors of Arts (BA) in Early Childhood Education 
  • Bachelors of Arts (BA) in Elementary Education 
  • Masters of Arts In Teaching (MAT) in Early Childhood Education 
  • Masters of Arts In Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education 
  • Masters of Arts In Teaching (MAT) in Secondary Education 
  • Masters of Arts In Teaching (MAT) in Special Education 
  • Masters of Science in Administration (MSA) in Educational Administration 

Trinity educator preparation programs are also approved by the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) as meeting state standards for preparing candidates to enter the profession. OSSE program approval is required for programs in the District of Columbia offering professional preparation programs that lead to teacher, service provider and school administrator credentialing. 

Teacher Licensure and Certification

Trinity’s licensure-track programs prepare you to pursue initial teacher licensure in the District of Columbia and most states. Some states have additional requirements: contact the appropriate state licensing board for more information, and to determine if Trinity’s program meets your need.

CAEP Accountability Measures

Annual measures reported here reflect data for completers of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) teacher education programs in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, and for completers of the MSA educational administration program in 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2025. We are using multiple-year spans to present current data sufficient to provide useful information.

Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness and Impact on P-12 Learning and Development

Initial Programs

OSSE Data:  Effectiveness Ratings 

Data provided by OSSE for 2023-2025 and 2024-2025 indicates that 82% of the 22 Trinity completers working in District of Columbia public schools were rated as effective. 

Alumni and Employer Surveys 

Trinity sends surveys each spring to completers from the previous year, and requests that the completers send a survey link to their principals or direct supervisors.  Trinity received 7 alumni surveys and 1 employer survey in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. 

On both the alumni and employer surveys, respondents are asked to assess impact on student learning.  Of the 7 alumni who responded to the survey, 2 indicated they were “satisfied” with their impact on student learning and 5 indicated they were “very satisfied” on a scale from “very dissatisfied” to “very satisfied.”  The 1 employer responded indicated that they were “very satisfied.”   

Teacher Formal Evaluations 

Trinity invites completers from the previous year to share their year-end teaching evaluations.  For the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years, we received three teaching evaluations. Because our completers work for different school systems (using different rating scales), we cannot aggregate their ratings. However, ratings for all items on all 3 evaluations were equivalent to ratings of Effective or above. 

Measure 2: Satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement

Initial Programs

Survey Responses 

As noted above, Trinity sends surveys each spring to completers from the previous year, and requests that the completers send a survey link to their principals or direct supervisors.  Trinity received 7 alumni surveys and 1 employer in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. 

Alumni and employers were asked to rate their satisfaction with the teachers’ preparation in 20 areas.  Both alumni and employer indicated a high level of satisfaction (full results here). 

Alumni indicated the highest satisfaction with these two areas of preparation: 

  • To treat students fairly and establish an environment that is respectful, supportive, and caring 
  • To maintain an environment that is conducive to learning for all students 

They indicated the lowest satisfaction with this area: 

  • To collaborate effectively with other teachers, administrators, and district staff 

These areas of highest and lowest satisfaction were consistent with the employer’s ratings. 

Advanced Program

Survey Responses 

Trinity sends surveys each spring to the employers of MSA completers the previous year.  Employers are asked to rate their satisfaction with the administrators’ preparation in 20 areas.  For the 7 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025 completers, Trinity received 1 employer survey, who indicated satisfaction and in some cases strong satisfaction in each area (full results here). 

Stakeholder Involvement 

Trinity engages an advisory group, The Council on Education. 

Council on Education members represent the following organizations: 

  • AppleTree Schools 
  • Archdiocese of Washington – Archbishop Carroll High School 
  • Cesar Chavez Public Charter School 
  • District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education 
  • District of Columbia Public Schools – Bruce Monroe Elementary School 
  • District of Columbia Public Schools – Calvin Coolidge High School 
  • District of Columbia Public Schools – Central Office 
  • District of Columbia Public Schools – Early College Academy at Coolidge 
  • GO Foundation 
  • Ivymount School 
  • Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools – Central Office 
  • Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools – Kensington Parkwood Elementary School 
  • Perry Street Prep Public Charter School 
  • Prince George’s County (MD) Public Schools – Earnest Just Middle School 
  • Washington School for Girls 

The School of Education faculty met with the Council in full on December 18, 2024, and with individual Council members throughout the year.  The December 18 agenda focused on developing the InTASC standards in classroom and clinical settings. 

Measure 3: Candidate Competency at Program Completion

Initial Programs

Praxis Pass Rates 

Trinity completers must pass the Praxis Subject assessment in their area prior to student teaching, so 100% pass.  Of the 42 completers in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, 74% passed the first time. 

Trinity students are not required to take the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) tests as a program requirement, but OSSE requires the PLT at the appropriate grade range for certification.  Of the 7 Trinity students who completed their program in 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 and took the PLT, 6 passed, all the first time. 

Student Teaching Evaluations 

Trinity teacher education students are evaluated near the end of their student teaching semester using an instrument aligned to the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers.  These evaluations indicate that with a few exceptions, Trinity student teachers were meeting and often exceeding expectations. 

The evaluations also indicated areas of relative strength and weakness: 

Strongest areas – 

  • Application of Content 
  • Selecting Resources for General Instruction 
  • Reflection on Teaching 
  • Use of Media and Technology 

Weakest areas – 

  • Variety of Formal/Informal Assessments 
  • Recording and Monitoring Assessment Data 
  • Professional Growth 
  • Participation in School/District Events and Projects 

See full results here. 

Professional Dispositions 

Trinity teacher education students are assessed on their professional dispositions several times throughout their program.  This evaluation indicates that the students overwhelmingly meet the expected dispositions.  See full results here. 

Advanced Programs

SLLA Pass Rates 

Trinity students are not required to take the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) as a program requirement, but OSSE requires the SLLA for administrator certification.  Of the 2 Trinity students who completed their program in 2022-2023, 2023-2024, or 2024-2025 and took the SLLA, both passed the first time. 

Internship Evaluation 

MSA students are evaluated during their final internship semester using an instrument based on the NELP standards.  All 7 completers in 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025 met all standards. 

Measure 4: The ability of completers to be hired in education positions for which they have prepared

Initial Programs

Employment Rates 

Of the 42 certification-track BA and MAT completers in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, Trinity has employment data on 29.  Of those 29, 100% are in PreK-12 instructional positions, with 26 in lead teacher positions. 

Advanced Program

Employment Rates 

Of the 7 MSA completers in 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025, 100% are working in PreK-12 schools, with 57% in administrative roles.