The mission of this Department is to prepare excellent professionals in special education or child and family development who are knowledgeable, effective, reflective, collaborative, and responsive practitioners and have the potential to become leaders in their fields. This mission is accomplished by working in partnership with schools, communities, and university colleagues in response to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s commitment to children, families, and schools. 

The goals of the Special Education and Child and Family Development programs are to:

• Provide instruction at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels that models research-validated best practice and challenges learners to aspire to excellence.
   
• Generate and synthesize knowledge through quality research that informs the preparation programs of the Department.
   
• Provide genuine and meaningful service to the public schools and other service providers that informs the preparation programs of the Department.

The Department of Special Education and Child Development faculty strive to create an academic climate in which the dignity of all individuals is maintained.  Therefore, we celebrate diversity which includes, but is not limited to, race, culture, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability status, and sexual orientation.