Education

Since 1871, when the Buffalo Normal School first opened its doors, Buffalo State has enjoyed a long and distinguished history of preparing highly effective teachers and educational leaders. For more than 140 years we have dedicated our research, scholarship and community service to that prime directive.

Since those early days, the education of children and adults has undergone many changes. The turbulent decades of the industrial revolution and rapid growth in the 20th century swiftly passed into the technologically miraculous 21st century. Children of several grade levels studying under the roof of a one-room schoolhouse transitioned to students learning individually and online in their homes or engaged in multi-media instruction and formation. Through it all, education continues to be critical to the advancement of civilization, the promotion of socially just communities, and the stability of a peaceful world united in its care for children and families.

While times change and educational trends rise and fall, the essence of our mission remains--a fierce dedication to offering education programs that meet the highest possible national standards of the profession. Thus, we continue receiving national accreditation and are continuously engaged in data driven decision making, clinically enriched programming, assessment based accountability, and relevant curriculum development using national standards.

We are a vibrant community of faculty, staff and students committed to the intellectual, personal and professional growth of future and practicing professionals in the diverse fields of education. Our commitment transforms lives and the communities where our candidates and graduates live and serve. Join us in seeking excellence for all children and adults through education.

Accreditation

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), formerly the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), has continued the accreditation of Buffalo State College at the initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation levels through 2029. The accreditation decision indicates that Buffalo State and its Teacher Education Unit meet the rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community.

Buffalo State has received continuous accreditation by NCATE since the organization conducted its first review of institutions in 1954. The college offers 79 registered education programs within the Teacher Education Unit.

SUNY Buffalo State has a distinguished history of preparing educators to excel in a wide range of classroom settings. Our students are prepared as leaders and educators through a strong and diverse on-campus curriculum as well as through direct student teacher experiences at one of the more than 40 schools in western New York that serve as professional development sites.

Buffalo State is proud to have maintained continual accreditation for the past 25-plus years. The School of Education houses the largest teacher-education program in the region and sends more graduates into public education teaching positions than any other State University of New York campus.

graduate blowing bubbles

Where Are They Now?

Our graduates go on to grow, inspire, and lead—impacting children and communities across Western New York and around the globe. Discover how Buffalo State has encouraged and supported their remarkable journeys.

Education Alumni Interviews

Unique Opportunities and Contributions

Master Teachers Program

Buffalo State serves as a regional host campus for New York State’s Master Teachers Program, which rewards the state’s highest performing teachers, ensures that the best and brightest stay in education, and encourages teachers to share their expertise with peers. Master Teachers engage in peer mentoring, attend and create intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities, and work closely with pre-service and early-career fellows in their regions.

NYS Master Teachers Program

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

The Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education is a peer-reviewed online journal seeking to highlight collaborative research between university faculty and partner school teachers. JIAE welcomes submissions year-round for research focused on the areas of: Applied Theory/P-12 Educational Research, Collaborative Partnerships/Programs, Promising Practices, and Educational Policy

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

TLE TeachLivE™

TLE TeachLivE™ is a computer-simulated, immersive, mixed-reality classroom that provides teachers the opportunity to develop their pedagogical practice in a safe environment that doesn’t place real students at risk. Teachers step into TeachLivE™ virtual classroom and experience immersion and suspension of disbelief, allowing them to rehearse high-leverage teaching practices. Buffalo State is the only college in the SUNY system currently using this unique environment to prepare or retrain pre-service and in-service teachers.

TLE TeachLivE™

Urban Teacher Academy

The Urban Teacher Academy is designed to develop a diverse generation of educators for the Buffalo Public Schools. A collaboration between Buffalo State and Buffalo's McKinley High School (both located on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, NY), this supportive program for high school students will take an innovative approach to educating future educators.

Shannon Budin

Hank Mann Endowed Chair for Exceptional Education

Dr. Horace “Hank” Mann was the founder of what is now the Exceptional Education Department at Buffalo State, where he retired in 1992 after an influential 40-year career. Dr. Mann generously bequeathed $1.5 million to establish the Horace Mann Endowed Chair position. In September 2025, Dr. Shannon Budin was appointed as the second endowed chair and will continue the work of her predecessors by providing leadership for departmental programs, faculty, and teacher candidates; conducting innovative research; and fostering collaborative partnerships with schools and agencies. She will also continue to facilitate the annual Graduate Research Symposium, which emphasizes the importance of connecting research to practice for everyday teachers and their students.

Jevon Hunter

Woods-Beals Endowed Chair for Urban Education

In 2002, Buffalo State received a $1 million gift from Eleanore Woods Beals,  a 1950 graduate, and her husband, Vaughn Beals, which was used to establish the first endowed chair in the 130-year history of the institution. Jevon Hunter, Woods-Beals Endowed Chair for Urban Education, has developed several initiatives as the endowed chair - Urban Youth Scholars, Student Research, Urban Teacher Collaborative, and Urban Education Speaker Series.