Bank Street Graduate School of Education, Dean

Bank Street College of Education selected Amy Stuart Wells, PhD to serve as the next Dean of the Graduate School of Education. 

Wells earned her PhD in Sociology and Education from Teachers College (TC), Columbia University and has been a professor of sociology and education at TC since 2001. She is also the founder and executive director of TC’s nationally recognized professional development program Reimagining Education: Teaching, Learning, and Leading for a Racially Just Society and leads several research projects, including The Public Good: A Public School Support Organization, which is dedicated to supporting and sustaining racially diverse public schools. Over the last eight years, Wells has worked closely with colleagues at Teachers College to grow the Reimagining Education Summer Institute into a leading initiative that includes an advanced certificate program and year-round professional development support for educators. 

Throughout her career, Wells has made extensive scholarly contributions, not only through the publication of her own books and articles but also by serving as the president of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) from 2018-19, among other endeavors. She has worked on issues related to school reform policies and the ways that diversity and segregation impact the health of a school. Her current work is focused on supporting teachers, schools, and school systems in integrating anti-racist policies and practices into their approach to education. 

In addition to her doctorate, Wells also earned her master’s degree in Journalism from Boston University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Southern Methodist University. 

Read the full press release here.

Katie Rockman led this search with Carrie Alexander, Cheryl Hicks, and Alaine Small.