American College of Education Acquires Barat College
(October 12, 2005) –
In 2005, American College of Education finalized its acquisition of assets of Barat College,
an historic institution in Lake Forest, Ill. The institution will continue to be accredited by
the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and has
received degree-granting and operating approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
An outstanding team of seasoned educators has been assembled to move the school forward.
The president is Dr. John Agresto, former president of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M.,
and former deputy director of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Mike Moses, the
former commissioner of education in Texas, is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Senior
advisers include former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige; Dr. Reid Lyon, formerly a
nationally known researcher at the National Institutes of Health; Dr. Gerald Heeger, former
president of the University of Maryland University College; and Dr. Joe May, former president of
the Colorado Community College System.
American College of Education plans to build on Barat’s longstanding commitment to educational
excellence. It will offer high-quality, affordable education courses and degrees to in-service
teachers and students preparing to become teachers. All curricula will be based on the latest
scientific research.
In 1858, Barat College began in Chicago as an academy for women and moved to its Lake Forest
location in 1904. In 1918, the State of Illinois chartered Barat as a four-year college, and
in 1982, Barat opened its doors as a co-educational institution. In February 2001, Barat College
formed an educational alliance with DePaul University, and while Barat College remained a separate
institution, the Barat campus functioned as a campus in the DePaul University system. Dr. Scott
Scarborough, executive vice president of administration of DePaul, serves on the board of American
College of Education.