The following story originally appeared on the website for the W&M School of Education. – Ed.

Aligned with the William & Mary School of Education’s priority to deliver programs that serve the Commonwealth of Virginia and the profession, the school has launched a new Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in curriculum & instruction with concentrations in teacher leaders and teacher leaders & literacy. 

Designed for practicing educators, the program empowers teachers to deepen their expertise and strengthen their impact without having to leave the classroom. 

Extending William & Mary’s academic footprint in the nation’s capital, the new degree was developed in collaboration with the W&M Washington Center and community partner KIPP DC (Knowledge is Power Program). 

The initiative originated when Provost Peggy Agouris invited university leaders to expand graduate offerings at the Washington Center. In response, Dean Robert Knoeppel, Associate Professor Lindy Johnson, Assistant Provost Roxane O. Adler Hickey M.Ed. ’02, Ed.D. ’23, and Senior Associate Director Erin Battle ’13, M.Ed. ’15, led a yearlong effort to engage educators and school leaders across the D.C. region. Their conversations shaped a program tailored to the aspirations of professional educators who want to grow as leaders while remaining rooted in their classrooms. 

“The new master’s degree reflects a dynamic and innovative approach to developing teacher leaders,” said Johnson. “We heard from great teachers who told us, ‘I want to learn and grow as a teacher without leaving my classroom.’ This program was built for them.” 

The part-time, fully online program was intentionally designed to support working teachers at every stage. Structured into seven-and-a-half-week modules, courses allow students to focus on one class at a time, reducing stress and supporting balance between professional, academic and personal commitments. 

Grounded in research and responsive to the needs of today’s classrooms, the program supports experienced teachers who are committed to transforming the profession to better serve their students. The curriculum emphasizes inclusive teaching practices to support the needs of all students. Students gain practical strategies to support learners from diverse linguistic, cultural and ability backgrounds, preparing them to lead in classrooms that reflect the full diversity of their communities. 

The program officially launched in August with its inaugural cohort of 24 educators from KIPP DC. Ashley Carter ’13, teaching assistant at KIPP DC and a William & Mary alumna, helped bring the partnership to life. 

“Today, we welcomed the inaugural cohort of KIPP DC educators into the William & Mary School of Education’s Master of Arts in Education program — a partnership I was incredibly proud to help build,” Carter shared. “As a William & Mary alumna, this is personal. And as a member of KIPP DC’s Knowledge & Learning team, it’s deeply aligned to our purpose: to support educators at every stage of their careers because our students’ success depends on it.”

Students in the cohort recently completed their first course, engaging in online collaboration and meeting in person at a welcome reception hosted at the Washington Center. There, they connected with faculty, alumni and staff, strengthening the sense of community and belonging that defines the William & Mary experience. 

Beyond academic milestones, the cohort has shared personal celebrations as well, according to Clinical Assistant Professor in Curriculum & Instruction Daria Lorio-Barsten. “To date, we’ve celebrated one wedding and the birth of one baby, though neither occurred in class,” she said with a smile. 

Knoeppel highlighted the program’s broader significance: “The School of Education is proud to implement a program that fulfills the provost’s goal of expanding offerings in the Washington D.C. area,” he said. “I am deeply grateful to the faculty who developed this curriculum and to our partners who helped make it possible. This initiative truly exemplifies our mission to translate research into action and to transform students, schools and communities.”