• Read more about Alumna influences education policy in the legislature

“Nothing prepared me for the Legislature more than teaching middle school,” alumna Heather Carter (MEd '02) says. Carter, who is a clinical associate professor at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and assistant dean for ASU’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation, is also a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving Legislative District 15. Many of us struggle with finding enough hours in the day — Carter doesn’t seem to experience that same struggle.

Advocating from the inside

• Read more about Our scholars at AERA 2018

The American Education Research Association, the leading organization for advancing knowledge about education and promoting the application of educational research, is holding its 2018 Annual Meeting April 13-17 in New York City.

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is proud to have more than 90 of our scholars presenting or speaking this year. See all the sessions below.

• Read more about Confronting racial bias in school discipline

In 2014, the leadership of every school district in America received a letter sent jointly by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. More than 10,000 words long and available in seven languages, it was titled “Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline.” It was sent to offer “... guidance to assist public elementary and secondary schools in meeting their obligations under federal law to administer student discipline without discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin.”

• Read more about Improving the education workforce through research

The first of four strategic initiatives undertaken by ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College to carry out its mission asks, “How should we develop and deploy a 21st-century education workforce?”

• Read more about America Reads honored for dedication to students and the community

America Reads isn’t just about getting a job in order to help pay for necessities while being a student. It’s about gaining skills and giving back.

• Read more about Teaching grad is doing it for the kids

Niraj Javia graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in engineering and quickly found work as a sales engineer at an electric company. Javia traveled to manufacturing plants all over the Southeast U.S., selling equipment to help the plants become more efficient. “I met with thousands of engineering teams and there was no diversity whatsoever,” he said.

• Read more about MLFTC doctoral candidate hopes to inspire other Native Americans

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2018 commencement. 

When a teenage boy in his community committed suicide, Jameson Lopez decided he wanted to do something for his tribe.

That something was dedicating his life to higher education and finding opportunities for Native Americans to obtain their degrees.

• Read more about ASU Prep Poly STEM Academy tied for top spot in Arizona school ratings

The ASU Prep Poly STEM Academy in Mesa tied for the top spot in Arizona school ratings for 2017, based on the final letter grades and scores recently released by the state Department of Education.

The K-4 charter school, located on ASU’s Polytechnic campus, and Ocotillo Ridge Elementary School in Pinal County tied for the highest percentage in scoring based on a formula that weighs proficiency in the AzMERIT standardized tests, as well as improvement in scores of some subgroups of students, and other factors, such as absenteeism.

• Read more about A mother follows in her daughter's footsteps

• Read more about A non-traditional student embraces tradition

Bobbi Doherty is not your typical ASU graduate. She was in her 40s when she decided to switch her career path and turn to education. In addition to her roles of wife and mother, Doherty has managed to complete her coursework, student teaching and the necessary Arizona educator certifications. Most recently, she secured a job at a local school district while maintaining a GPA to qualify her to graduate summa cum laude.