1880 – The Kentucky General Assembly established a Normal School for the training of teachers at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky. The School offered courses in the theory and practice of teaching and general subject areas which lead to completion of diplomas rather than degrees.
1908 – The name of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky was changed to the State University, Lexington, Kentucky.
1908 – The Kentucky General Assembly established a Department of Education which replaced the Normal School. The new department was located in the College of Arts and Science (now the College of Arts and Sciences) and offered teaching certificates and two new degrees.
1909 – The name of the Department of Education was changed to the Teachers’ College.
1911 – A School of Education was created in the College of Arts and Science (now the College of Arts and Sciences).
1916 – The name of the State University, Lexington, Kentucky was changed to the University of Kentucky.
1918 – A model school, named the University School, was organized under the leadership of UK President McVey with a mission to educate Fayette County students, train UK education students for teaching careers, and serve as an educational laboratory. At a time when many Kentucky students attended one-room schools, educators across the state visited the University School to observe this innovation approach to education.
1919 – The University School joined the School of Education. Faculty in the University School became faculty in the UK School of Education.
1923 – UK President McVey created the College of Education with a four-year course of study.
1923 – Dr. William S. Taylor was named the first Dean of the College of Education.
1923 – The first teaching certificates were issued to Dorothy Potter and L. B. Shackelford
1924 – The first bachelor’s degree in education was awarded to Lawrence Schotta Burnham.
1927 – The Bureau of School Service was established to provide services to educational personnel throughout the Commonwealth.
1928 – A chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, a national education honorary fraternity, was established.
1928 – Early Childhood Lab was established.
1929 – Dr. James Anderson Yates, a College of Education student and school administrator, earned the first doctoral degree awarded by the University of Kentucky.
1930 – A new College of Education building was completed. The building also housed the University School, which offered kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and senior high school classes and served as a training school for teachers.
1949 – The College of Education Building was renamed the William S. Taylor Building upon Dean Taylor’s death, and the first scholarship program was instituted in his honor.
1950 – College of Education student Mary Ann Henderson became the first Black graduate of the University of Kentucky, earning a master's degree in education.
1953 – Dean Dickey noted in his annual report the College had requests for 3,000 teachers but had only 288 available. Because of growing demands for teachers and increasing enrollments, the University School was unable to provide sufficient training facilities and resources to prepare all education students. For the first time, local public schools provided sites for field experiences and student teaching.
1954 – The College of Education became a founding member of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education when it received national accreditation from the agency the first year it granted accreditation.
1956 – Dr. Lyman V. Ginger became the third Dean of the College of Education when Dean Dickey was named president of the University.
1960 – Kindergarten was discontinued at the University School.
1962 – The University School closed, and the College created partnerships with area school districts to increase the network of training sites for students in field experiences and student teaching.
1963 – Construction began on a second building that would house the College of Education.
1964 – Construction was completed on the Don Cash Seaton Center, home of the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (now the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion).
1965 – A new College of Education building was dedicated and named the Frank G. Dickey Hall.
1967 – Dr. George Denemark was named the fourth dean of the College of Education.
1968-69 – The College was reorganized into eight academic departments: curriculum and instruction; educational psychology and counseling; health, physical education, and recreation; higher and adult education; social and philosophical studies in education; special education; and vocational education.
1972 – The College of Education joined the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching.
1974 – The UK Program Faculty structure was created to involve education faculty, content faculty from other units on campus, and P-12 practitioners in the preparation of teachers.
1982 – Dr. Edgar L. Sagan was named the fifth Dean of the College of Education when Dean Denemark resigned to accept the presidency of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
1985 – The General Assembly established the Kentucky Beginning Teacher Internship Program. The College of Education was instrumental in developing the evaluation and assistance components of the program.
1986 – The College of Education joined the Holmes Group, a consortium of teacher education institutions committed to the improvement of teacher education
1987 – The College of Education became the headquarters for the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching.
1989 – The College of Education began its development and alumni efforts.
1990 – Dr. J. John Harris III became the sixth dean of the College of Education and the first Black college dean at the university.
1990 – The General Assembly passed the Kentucky Education Reform Act which impacted educator preparation programs across the state.
1991 – The Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative located its headquarters in the College of Education.
1991 – The Kentucky Institute on Education Reform was established in the College of Education.
1995 – Dr. Shirley S. Raines was named the seventh dean of the College of Education and the first female dean of the college.
1997 – Two Fayette County public schools, Squires Elementary and Winburn Middle, were designated as professional development schools for the college.
2001 – Dean Sagan returned as interim dean when Dean Raines accepted the presidency of the University of Memphis.
2002 – Dr. James G. Cibulka was named the eighth dean of the College of Education. Faculty research initiatives were emphasized throughout his tenure.
2003 – The first grants officer was hired in the College of Education.
2004 – Dr. Lynda Brown-Wright became the first African American woman to serve as department chair for Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology in the College of Education.
2008 – Dr. Rosetta F. Sandidge was named interim dean when Dean Cibulka resigned to become president of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
2009 – Dr. Mary John O’Hair became the ninth dean of the College of Education.
2010 – The Kentucky P20 Innovation Lab was created to expand its service and outreach to local schools and school districts. The Next Generation Leadership Academy, which grew out of the P20 Lab, has worked with school districts throughout the state to transform leadership of P-12 schools.
2011 – The UK Board of Trustees approved a new Department of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education. That year, the department established the nation's first dual-degree STEM Education program leading to a degree in STEM Education as well as a degree in a STEM content area.
2013 – The College of Education partnered with Fayette County Public Schools and the University of Kentucky to establish the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) Academy, which offers high school students access to UK faculty, staff, students, and resources.
2013 – The National Center for Innovation in Education was established to support states with the implementation of higher standards for P-12 education.
2015 – A new Early Childhood Lab facility opened, doubling the size of its former location in the basement of Erikson Hall.
2018 – Dr. Rosetta F. Sandidge was named interim dean when Dean O'Hair returned to faculty status in the Department of Educational Leadership Studies.
2019 – Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig became the 10th dean and first Latinx dean of the College of Education.
2020 – The Education and Civil Rights Initiative was established in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation.
2023 – Dr. Lali McCubbin became the first Polynesian woman to serve as department chair for Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology in the College of Education.
2023 – Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins became acting dean, the first woman of color to lead the College of Education.