The roots of American College of Education date back to 1858 and Barat College, an academy for young women in Chicago. The school moved in 1904 to a beautiful campus in Lake Forest, 30 miles north of Chicago and in 1918, the State of Illinois chartered Barat as a four-year college. In 1982, Barat College became a coeducational institution and nine years later it became part of DePaul University.

In 2004, the affiliation with DePaul University ended and the school was renamed American College of Education. The educational business of Barat College, including the library and regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, continued under a new independent board.

Today, American College of Education's vision is to dramatically improve student performance by helping to enhance the instructional effectiveness of today's teachers through high quality degree programs. The barriers of time, space and economics have been removed through a major reduction in tuition and an innovative new delivery model that brings unprecedented convenience to all students.