AU’s College of Education earns accreditation for its teacher education program
ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University is pleased to announce its Dwight Schar College of Education was one of 38 educator preparation program providers to receive accreditation this spring from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
AU met the CAEP’s rigorous, nationally-recognized accreditation standards, which were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.
“These (38) institutions meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate,” stated Christopher A. Koch, Ph.D., president of CAEP. “Seeking CAEP accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”
“Our students, faculty, staff and administration should be very proud of the work they are doing. We’ve set a high bar for our teacher preparation programs and CAEP accreditation validates the hard work we are doing,” remarked Lisa Vernon-Dotson, Ph.D., dean of the Dwight Schar College of Education. “Our students and their families are investing in an education program that is designated as nationally accredited for teacher preparation.”
CAEP is an accrediting body for educator preparation and accredits providers at the initial and advanced levels. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation.
Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of the CAEP standards, which are based on two principles: solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators and solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff can create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.
AU’s College of Education offers a number of programs, ranging from undergraduate degrees to teacher certification with a related degree, certificate or graduate programs to expand one’s professional growth and advanced preparation in leadership.
AU and the other 37 providers to receive accreditation this May brings the total number to 559 CAEP-accredited providers from 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.