The foundations of education, educational studies, and educational policy studies involve the study of education utilizing such disciplines as history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, social psychology, anthopology, economics, and political science, or such interdisciplinary fields as comparative and international education, multicultural education, community and adult education, and many others. All such study stresses interpretive, normative, and critical perspectives in understanding, analyzing, and implementing educational theory and practice.

Over ten years ago, in 1986, the Council of Learned Societies endosred and reissued the Standards for Academic and Professional Instruction in Foundations of Education, Educational Studies, and Educational Policy Studies, originally developed in 1978 by a Task Force of the American Educational Studies Association. These Standards, republished in a revised second edition by CLSE in 1996, offer guidance to institutions of higher education, state education agencies, and other national educational and policymaking organizations concerning the definition, role, and significance of study in the foundations of education. Those Standards appear attached, and paper copies may be obtained by writing to the Council of Learned Societies in Education at 3145 Geary Boulevard, Suite 275, San Francisco, California 94118 or e-mailing us at caddogap@aol.com

The Council of Learned Societies in Education is affiliated with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). CLSE leaders sit on key boards and committees of NCATE and individuals appointed by CLSE serve on the NCATE Board of Examiners, whose members comprise the accreditation teams which visit individual campuses and programs. CLSE participates in NCATE as one means of assuring that professional preparation programs adhere to the stipulations in NCATE Standards that all preparation programs for prospective teachers and other professional educators include study in the foundations of education.

The twenty member societies of the Council of Learned Societies in Education are:

American Educational Studies Association

Association for Philosophy of Education

Comparative and International Education Society

Florida Foundations of Education and Policy Studies Society

History of Education Society

International Society of Educational Biography

The John Dewey Society

Middle Atlantic States Philosophy of Education Society

Midwest History of Education Society

Midwest Philosophy of Education Society

New York State Foundations of Education Association

Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society

Pennsylvania Educational Studies Association

Philosophy of Education Society

The Society for Educational Reconstruction

Society for the Philosophy and History of Education

Society of Professors of Education

South Atlantic Philosophy of Education Society

Southeast Philosophy of Education Society

Texas Educational Foundations Society

The Council of Learned Societies in Education holds business meetings twice each year, in the spring in conjunction with the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, and in the fall in conjunction with the annual conference of the American Educational Studies Association. The time and place of those CLSE business meetings appear on the AERA and AESA annual programs, and all CLSE meetings are open to any interested individuals. Each member society may send three voting delegates to each business meeting, but all persons attending may participate in the discussion.

The Council of Learned Societies in Education functions without a paid staff or office. The current President of CLSE is Erskine S. Dottin, professor of foundations of education at Florida International University in Miami. The current Vice President is Steven Tozer, professor of education at the University of Illinois, Chicago. The Past President is Douglas J. Simpson, School of Education, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth. The Secretary-Treasurer is Alan H. Jones, publisher with Caddo Gap Press in San Francisco, California. Tony W. Johnson of the Schoolof Education, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, serves as the CLSE Liaison to NCATE and COPPE. The officers are elected every three years at the fall business meeting.

CLSE operates on a modest budget through support from annual dues from the twenty member societies and contributions from individual scholars in the foundations of education fields. CLSE is recognized as a tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service, and contributions are tax deductible. An endowment committee is currently being formed.

Requests for information about CLSE or contributions to support its work may be addressed to:

Go to:

Member Organizations of CLSE

Academic Standards in Education (Full text of the Standards.)

All text on this web site is copyright © 1998, Caddo Gap Press. All rights reserved.
Send your comments and suggestions to: caddogap@aol.com

Last modified June 1998; http://user.aol.com/caddogap/clsehome.htm