The association's focus was to replace miniature kitchen utensils for other toys that were age-appropriate for kindergarten-aged girls.

[6][5] In 1884, the KEA was rebranded to the Industrial Education Association (IEA), in the spirit of widening its mission to boys and parents.

The IEA decided to provide schooling for the teachers of the poor children of New York City.

[3][9] A new building for Horace Mann was erected in 1899,[12] followed by the Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Hall in 1902–1904.

[15] The founders early recognized that professional teachers need reliable knowledge about the conditions under which children learn most effectively.

The college took on the challenge and instituted programs of study in areas of administration, economics, and politics.

[19] According to former Teachers College president Susan Fuhrman,[20] the school provides solutions to the difficult problems of urban education, reaffirming its original mission in providing a new kind of education for those left most in need by society or circumstance.

The college continues its collaborative research with urban and suburban school systems that strengthen teaching in such fundamental areas as reading, writing, science, mathematics, and the arts; prepares leaders to develop and administer psychological and health care programs in schools, businesses, hospitals and community agencies; and advances technology for the classroom, developing new teaching software and keeping teachers abreast of new developments.

Every year captains from the United States Military Academy at West Point are selected for the Eisenhower Leader Development Program (ELDP) and complete the Organizational Psychology M.A.

By 1948 Margaret Mead started what would be a long association with Teachers College where she taught until the early 1970s.

For 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Teachers College, Columbia University #1 among all graduate schools of education in the United States.

In 2008, 2002, 1998, 1997, and 1996 Teachers College, Columbia University was also ranked #1 in the category of graduate schools of education in the United States by U.S. News.

[24][25] Teachers College's graduating class participates in the Columbia University Commencement ceremony.

[32] Teachers College shares academic and institutional resources with greater Columbia University including courses of instruction (Teachers College students may take courses at any other Columbia University graduate school and vice versa.

During COVID-19, the Ivy League allowed Columbia fourth-year senior student-athletes, who lost playing time due to pandemic-related cancellations in their final year of eligibility, to continue playing their varsity sport for the 2021–22 season if they were accepted to and enrolled at Teachers College.