Marsal Family School of Education: A Legacy of Transforming Education

The Marsal Family School of Education at the University of Michigan stands as a beacon of innovation and a testament to the transformative power of education. Rooted in a rich history and propelled by a generous commitment from the Marsal family, the school is dedicated to fostering a more democratic, just, and sustainable world through education.

Historical Roots and Evolution

The origins of the School of Education can be traced back to the very first charter of the University of Michigan, approved in 1817. This charter granted the university oversight of the state's entire public instruction system. A significant milestone was reached in the spring of 1879 when the university Regents established the Chair of the Science and Art of Teaching. This marked the creation of the first full-time, permanent professorial chair in any American college or university, exclusively dedicated to teacher preparation. In 1907 it became the Department of Education in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. In 1919, responding to repeated requests, the state legislature authorized an appropriation to build and equip a model school. University Elementary School, Feb. 25, 1937.

A Transformative Gift and a New Name

The Marsal family's deep commitment to education and their recognition of the disparities that exist in society led them to become strong advocates for the teaching profession. Their dedication culminated in a historic $50 million contribution, one of the largest ever given to a school or college of education in the United States. In recognition of this extraordinary commitment, the University of Michigan Regents unanimously voted to name the school the Marsal Family School of Education. The proposed name intentionally represents the whole Marsal family: Kathleen, Bryan, Michael, and Megan. They have all served as tireless advocates for the school with previous gifts supporting education students, graduates, and future teachers.

Kathleen Marsal, speaking on behalf of the family, emphasized their hope that society recognizes the crucial role of education in ensuring its survival and promoting equity. They firmly believe that education is a fundamental right and serves as the bedrock for fostering a more equitable society. Megan added that their focus is laser sharp on elevating the role of teachers in bringing about the change they envision.

Academic Programs and Opportunities

The Marsal Family School of Education offers a wide array of academic programs designed to prepare educators and leaders for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. These programs include:

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Learning, Equity, and Problem Solving for the Public Good (LEAPS): This new four-year bachelor’s degree in education prepares students for a wide range of professions. LEAPS students use their understanding of how people and communities learn to become problem-solvers that are needed across society and industry.
Bachelor of Arts/Science with Teacher Certification: These degrees are offered at the elementary and secondary level and begin in the third year of college.
Master of Arts with Teacher Certification: This degree at the elementary or secondary level is attainable in one year, beginning and ending in summer.
Master of Arts in Educational Studies: This degree prepares students with specialized knowledge to make meaningful contributions to education whether in K-12 school settings, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or companies. In partnership with schools, communities, youth, educators, and leaders, students build knowledge and create systems-wide educational change for a more democratic, just, and sustainable world.
Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies: This degree develops skills for collecting, analyzing, and writing about data at the heart of educational problems and phenomena.

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The educator preparation program at the Marsal School features structured classroom placements beginning in the first weeks and evolving throughout the program to meet your needs as a beginning teacher.

Admissions and Cost

The School of Education at University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Marsal) has a rolling application deadline. The application fee for the education program at University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Marsal) is $0. Its tuition is full-time: $29,102 per year (in-state) and full-time: $58,604 per year (out-of-state).

A Focus on Equity and Social Change

The Marsal Family School of Education is committed to fostering a caring, respectful, and humanizing community of engaged scholars and learners. The school aims to build capacity to embrace equity and social change, and to disrupt systemic racism, and other systemic injustices, as they take shape in everyday practice and structures, knowing that education and its effects are never neutral. The School believes that systems change begins in powerful partnership with and for families, school and community educators, leaders and activists, teacher educators, researchers, and policy makers and is dedicated to imagining and designing systems, policies, learning environments and practices that contribute to rich, engaging and transformative educational experiences for all learners.

The Educational Studies Program offers Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in a variety of concentrations. Intellectual clusters are shared spaces for building community in areas of interest (among students, staff and faculty) through reading groups, seminars, writing groups and social activities among other activities.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

The Marsal Family School of Education recognizes the importance of collaboration and community engagement in advancing its mission. The school actively partners with schools, communities, youth, educators, and leaders to build knowledge and create systems-wide educational change.

One notable example of this commitment is the Detroit P-20 Partnership, launched in 2018. This partnership brings together Starfish Family Services, the Detroit Public Schools Community District, the Kresge Foundation, the Marygrove Conservancy, and the U-M School of Education. The school works hand-in-hand with a public school to do the most innovative, promising, and exciting work being done in the field of education today.

The flourishing Marygrove campus is home to The Michigan Education Teaching School, which advances the school’s efforts to prepare future teachers, support early- career teachers, and honor the expertise of experienced teachers, while also providing the best possible education for Detroit children. Drawing on aspects of the medical training model that prepares doctors to be physicians, the Teaching School provides the support teachers deserve so that they may persist and prosper in the profession.

In the fall of 2024, the Marygrove community will experience further expansion as incoming U-M freshmen join the campus for a one-year residency as part of an innovative Bachelor of Arts in Education program known as Learning, Equity, and Problem-Solving for the Public Good, or LEAPS.

Research and Innovation

The Marsal Family School of Education is a leader in cutting-edge research and practice in reforming and transforming educational organizations and systems. As an intellectual community, the school is known for cutting edge research and practice in teaching and teacher education across school subjects; critical educational studies; language, literacy and culture; learning across contexts; design and technologies; and educational leadership and policy. We do this work alongside youth, educators, schools, families, and communities, across contexts and lifespans. We offer many pathways for engaging these areas through complementary research methods and frameworks.

The faculty, recognized as scholars and thought leaders across the globe in wide-ranging areas of educational expertise, address some of the most challenging issues facing education today, from studying meaningful learning opportunities for more just and equitable education in key areas such as literacy, STEM, and social science education to documenting the effects of policies and practices necessary to systemic reform. The school engages in powerful long-term research-practice partnerships that improve learning outcomes for students locally, nationally, and globally.

The Marsal Family: A Legacy of Support

Bryan and Kathleen attended the University of Michigan in the early 1970s, with Kathleen receiving a bachelor’s degree in education and a teaching certificate in addition to completing an accounting program, and Bryan receiving a bachelor’s and later a master’s degree in business administration. Kathleen was interested in using her degree to teach, but the teaching job market was deteriorating at that time, so she pursued accounting, ultimately becoming vice president and director of taxes at Citibank. In the early 1980s, Bryan co-founded Alvarez & Marsal, a consulting firm that delivers specialized business advisory and crisis management services to distressed and underperforming companies.

Following in the footsteps of her parents, Megan Marsal enrolled at the University of Michigan in the early 2010s. Initially pursuing a path in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts with thoughts of becoming a political science major, Megan's journey took an unexpected turn when a friend from her residence hall suggested she explore the field of teaching. Immersing herself in the introductory education coursework, particularly EDUC 118: Schooling and a Multicultural Society-a course crafted by Professor Anne Gere-Megan discovered a transformative approach to learning.

The strong connection the Marsal family maintained with the University of Michigan took on new significance when the former dean, Deborah Loewenberg Ball, approached them about the School of Education’s efforts to enhance teacher education. Excited by the advancements made in the school’s educator preparation programs (EPP), Kathleen eagerly joined the dean's advisory council.

Understanding the importance of providing support for education students to thrive, the Marsals chose to invest in areas that would empower future teachers. They established scholarships to assist aspiring educators, ensuring that financial barriers would not impede their journey toward success. Additionally, Kathleen and Bryan recognized the need for comprehensive career support to help graduates navigate the unique landscape of education professions. In 2014, their generous contribution led to the establishment of the school’s dedicated career services office, which aimed to equip graduates with the tools and guidance necessary to excel in their professional lives.

When Dean Elizabeth Birr Moje became dean in 2016, Kathleen eagerly embraced the opportunity to extend her involvement as a member of the dean's advisory council. Marsal and Moje pursued their shared commitment to addressing the pressing challenge of nationwide teacher shortages, along with other issues that undermine children’s access to quality education and impede their opportunities to learn.

Resources and Archives

The Bentley Historical Library houses a wealth of resources related to the Marsal Family School of Education, documenting its development from the early twentieth century through committees, faculty record files, teacher certifications, school accreditations, and the university’s budgetary review of the school in the 1980s. This collection contains publications from the school's central office and subordinate units. The Bentley also holds the papers of many faculty from the Marsal Family School of Education that document their lives inside and outside the university. These include the papers of David L. Angus, a professor in the School of Education and an expert on the history of education in China; Wilbur J. Cohen, a professor of education and then associate dean of the school beginning in 1963; and Mabel E. Rugen, Professor of physical education for women from 1930 to 1970. The library also holds records from the Bureau of School Services, a unit established to accredit secondary schools in Michigan. The collection consists primarily of accreditation inspection reports, representing over 1,000 high schools from 1871 to 1992.

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