Alumna Julie Coles authors books on solving public education system issues

After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Brown University and her masters from the University of Connecticut, Julie Coles [CAGS '03] went on to have a fulfilling career as a special education teacher. Enrolling in an Educational Leadership program to obtain her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (C.A.G.S.) at Cambridge College in Massachusetts enabled her to achieve her goal of leading her own school. 

Years of experience as a teacher and school leader taught her a great deal about the challenges both students and teachers face in economically challenged communities. Those experiences also influenced Julie’s decision to bring awareness to others about how outdated institutionalized policies unfairly tether public schools in many communities to substandard educational practices. Today she uses her writings, and new role as an author, to propose new educational models. The educational models are intended to remedy centuries of educational inequities contributing to pervasive academic achievement gaps. 

"My experiences in education influenced my decision to continue exploring obstacles contributing to the substandard quality of education in public schools. But writing presented me with a platform I needed to cross over from viewing ways our system is broken to focusing on innovative ways we can reconstruct education," commented Julie.

The experience Julie Coles brings to her books lays a foundation for the future that is hopeful, but rooted in the reality of life around us. She knows the resources teachers lack, the opportunities provided to some schools but not all, and identified an approach to resolve the concerns. Her dedication to equality in education stems from her passion for the educational well-being of current and future generations of students.  

Author Julie Coles created her first book to lay out a platform that will bridge gaps by empowering students, engaging their families, and providing innovative strategies and instructional tools for teachers to assist them Cultivate Exceptional Classrooms; which is also the title of Julie Coles’ second book, scheduled for release in 2023. 

Julie Coles' books can be ordered from Barnes & Noble.