About Lurie College

Lurie College Faculty and Staff Group Photo 2024


Who We Are: Our Strategic Plan

At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, we prepare transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders. We do this through an emancipatory approach across our teaching, scholarship, and service with a focus on four priority areas:

  • Community engaged: We strive to become the hub for community-centered, educational transformation in the region.
  • Culturally sustaining: We value and sustain the linguistic and cultural practices of the communities we serve and make that the foundation of our work.
  • Holistic: We foster a caring and supportive community of belonging, connectedness, and appreciation.
  • Interdisciplinary: We learn together across and beyond the college, transforming schooling and benefitting our communities.

View examples of our initial strategic plan initiatives and our racial justice priorities on our Strategic Plan webpage.


Meet Dean Heather Lattimer

       Photo of dean heather lattimer with header text

Heather Lattimer, EdD, is the Dean of the Lurie College of Education at San José State University. Under her leadership, the college has experienced significant growth in student enrollment, increased diversity among students and faculty, and the development of new programs aimed at extending access to historically marginalized communities. Dr. Lattimer has deepened community partnerships and enhanced the college's research productivity, further solidifying its reputation for academic excellence.

Dr. Lattimer holds degrees from prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of California, San Diego. Her academic and professional journey reflects her commitment to equity, excellence, and innovation in education.

In addition to her role as Dean, Dr. Lattimer has served as the interim Dean of the College of Social Sciences and interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at SJSU. She is also at the helm of the San José K16 Collaborative, an innovative, equity-driven, multi-institution partnership designed to create academic and career pathways in high-demand fields.

Dr. Lattimer’s scholarly work is well-regarded in the fields of education and literacy. Her research focuses on K12 literacy, college access, and teacher education. She has an extensive publication record, contributing widely to both academic and practitioner audiences. 


Lurie College of Education Rankings


Lurie College Impact Report

SJSU Lurie College of Education is positioned to lead. Our faculty, staff, and students have done remarkable work during this past year. We’ve grown enrollments in our traditional programs and launched exciting new programs that extend our reach to new student populations. We’ve strengthened our commitment to educational equity and racial justice by investing resources in bold emancipatory initiatives and tackling structural challenges within the college. We’ve amplified the impact of faculty-led research by strengthening our community partnerships and growing our media engagement. These achievements position Lurie College to lead our regional P-20 educational ecosystem and to be a model nationally of what it means to be a truly transformative college of education.

Read our 2022-2023 Impact Report above or view it as a PDF.


Lurie College Newsletters

The Lurie College of Education Newsletters are dedicated to highlighting some of the amazing things happening in our college. Our newsletters provide our community with all the latest news and information including upcoming events, faculty and student achievements, and university updates.

To sign up for one or both of our newsletters, complete this form


Connie L. Lurie 

Connie L. Lurie

Connie Lurie's commitment to education has had a tremendous impact on both San Jose State University and the Bay Area as a whole. Her dedication to the university and her philanthropic spirit exemplify the ideals of the California State University.

Connie Lurie graduated from San José State with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and psychology in 1964, admirably maintaining her connection to her alma mater to this day. She helped establish San Jose State's Connect Motivate Educate Society, which provides support and mentorship to former foster youth pursuing a college education. In 1998, she endowed the Lurie Author-in-Residence program at San Jose State, which attracts renowned national and international authors to serve as distinguished visiting artist/scholars for one or two semesters. As a result of her philanthropic generosity, the San Jose State University Connie L. Lurie College of Education was named in her honor.

Source: The California State University website


Lurie College Advisory Board


Accreditation

The Lurie College of Education credential programs are accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). The Masters Program in Speech Language Pathology is further accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).