School of Education nationally accredited
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Education recently received continuing accreditation for the initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation programs under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards. NCATE’s performance-based accreditation system for teacher preparation ensures that teacher candidates are prepared to make a difference in P-12 student learning.
This accreditation decision, after a stringent process that included self-assessment, onsite evaluation and careful review by the state and national accreditation bodies, indicates that the School of Education and its programs meet all rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community.
"The visiting accreditation teams were consistent in their assessment that KU offers strong programs. Both national and state accreditation assure that the programs we offer for licensure are of the highest quality and meet the needs for today’s professional educators,” said Rick Ginsberg, dean of the School of Education. “We are very proud that the commission cited no areas for improvement relative to any of the standards.”
Accreditation is determined by assessing six categories of standards:
- Candidate knowledge, skills and professional dispositions
- Assessment system and unit evaluation
- Field experiences and clinical practice
- Diversity
- Faculty qualifications, performance and development
- Unit governance and resources.
Providers accredited under NCATE standards, as well as those accredited under the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) Quality Principles, are now served by the single specialized accreditation system for educator preparation in the United States, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). More than 900 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system.
CAEP advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. More information is available online.
This accreditation decision indicates that the School of Education and its programs meet all rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community. Special congratulations were provided to the school as a reflection of the fact that the Commission cited no areas for improvement relative to any of the standards. The next accreditation visit for the School of Education and its programs, using the CAEP standards, is scheduled for spring 2021.
“We are delighted that our School of Education has received continuing accreditation under the NCATE standards,” said Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “For students and alumni, this accreditation confirms that a KU degree has tremendous value in the workforce and in society. And for employers, it’s a guarantee that KU students have the skills to succeed no matter where they go. We’re proud of our School of Education, and the continuation of the school’s accredited status affirms that we are fulfilling our mission as a flagship research university and serving the state and nation.”
The School of Education is a nationally ranked school, preparing educators and health, sport and exercise science professionals as leaders. For more information on the school’s teacher preparation programs, please visit http://soe.ku.edu/teachered.