IALS Journal
Message from the editors...
The New Journal is Live!
We're excited to share that our peer-reviewed, open-access journal continues to foster academic discourse on topics relevant to laboratory and university-affiliated schools.
The journal is now being hosted through the Digital Commons platform at IALS Journal.
The call for the Fall 2026 issue is open until September 1st. For more information visit the submission portal, where you will be prompted to create a new account. This is a one-time process and is fast.
Need Assistance?
For any questions or manuscript guidance, please contact our editorial team directly: ialsjournal@ilstu.edu
Our peer-reviewed, open-access Journal is typically published once an academic year. Previous issues are available using the links below. We hope these publications will foster academic discourse on topics relevant to laboratory and university-affiliated schools. Articles in the IALS Journal offer perspectives on educational trends, including the history and future of lab schools, innovations in curricula and programs, lab school administration, and teacher education.
SPECIAL
EDITION
SPECIAL
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Meet the Editors
We are excited to serve the International Association of Laboratory Schools community through a new collaborative editorial model led by an editorial team that includes university and lab school faculty. This partnership brings together scholarly expertise and practitioner insight, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of those closest to classrooms remain at the heart of our work and shape the journal's direction and content.
Dr. Kristina Falbe, Editor
is an Associate Professor in the School of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State University. With prior editorial experience and a commitment to connecting research with practice, she brings expertise in middle-level education, teacher education, and equity-focused scholarship. Her leadership across national organizations and editorial boards reflects her dedication to fostering collaboration and advancing educational research.
Kristi Sutter, Co-Editor
serves as an Instructional Facilitator for grades PreK-8 and a Middle School Makerspace teacher at Thomas Metcalf Laboratory School, while also holding a position as an Instructional Assistant Professor in the School of Teaching and Learning. Her unique perspective as scholar, teacher, and instructional coach ensures that our editorial decisions are grounded in the realities of daily classroom practice and the innovative work happening in laboratory schools.
Together, we are committed to publishing scholarship that honors the essential role laboratory schools play in PK-12 education, teacher preparation, and educational innovation. We strive to make the journal accessible and relevant to administrators, teachers, parents, students, scholars, and all those engaged with laboratory schools. In service to the education profession, we aim to bridge theory and practice, share innovative approaches, and foster continuous learning that benefits educators and students worldwide, both within and beyond laboratory school settings. We look forward to working with authors, reviewers, and readers to strengthen the academic discourse surrounding laboratory and university-affiliated schools.
Publications Related to Lab Schools
Read publications below that are created by people from other relevant organizations outside of IALS. We hope you find them helpful and informative.
by Grade 5 Teacher, Kathleen Ginsberg, The Parents League Review
2013
by Siddhartha Mitter; overview of Wellness Program at the School of Columbia, TC Today
Fall/Winter 2012
Understanding Prejudice through Paper Plate Portraits (page 18), by Grade 2 Teacher, Vanessa D'Egidio
Fall 2012