STEP & iSTEP

The Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) has been consistently recognized among the top-ranked teacher education programs in the United States. STEP prepares educational leaders who share an understanding of the strengths and needs of a diverse student population, and who are dedicated to equity and excellence for all students. STEP teacher candidates are supported to meet both the practical and intellectual challenges of the teaching profession and to revitalize the profession as well as the field. The content and design of the program are organized to connect scholarship, research, and practice; foster a commitment to inquiry and reflection in the classroom; and encourage collaboration across individuals, institutions, and communities.

Over the years, STEP has had numerous requests for information from educators interested in learning more about how this premier teacher education program is organized. Because no amount of description of the program can substitute the experience of observing and investigating STEP up close, the Inquiry into the Stanford Teacher Education Program (iSTEP Institute) was formalized in 2010. Since then, teams of educators from institutions around the world have come to Stanford to learn more about the program.

We had a very intense week and every moment was dedicated to exchanging ideas. Lunch, dinner, and both the school visits were good opportunities for exchanging ideas among the participants and the STEP team.
- Particpant from Brazil

While the underlying principles of STEP travel well, their actualization depends on the specific local context of a program. Thus, iSTEP participants have the opportunity to explore how the principles might get operationalized in their particular contexts. Through extensive and intensive collegial interactions, participants from the different programs participating in the Institute (including STEP) are able to contribute to each other's learning and to develop plans for strengthening the program they represent.