The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) recently announced that Wittenberg’s Department of Education was one of 55 providers from 28 states and the United Arab Emirates to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs in 2022. Wittenberg was among four Ohio schools to receive the accreditation.
Wittenberg’s education program received accreditation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels with the decision being based on the Education Department’s self-study from 2021-22 and the Spring 2022 site visit by the CAEP.
“Our education faculty are pleased to have been recognized for the outstanding work they do to prepare our exceptionally talented teacher candidates for teaching and leadership positions in both the undergraduate and graduate programs,” said Sally Brannan, professor of education and chair of the department.
The Fall 2022 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council granted 55 educator preparation providers accreditation to bring the total to 507 approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards – rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.
“The self-study and site visit allowed our faculty to highlight the many experiential opportunities that we provide to our students that help to make our programs exceptional,” Brannan added.
CAEP’s Accreditation Council noted that the quality of evidence submitted by Wittenberg’s education program met each of the five standards for the undergraduate and graduate program levels. This national accreditation lasts until the next on-site CAEP visit in the spring of 2029.
“I want to recognize the exceptional work of my colleagues in the education department,” said Brian Yontz, professor of education and interim provost. “The assessment system developed and maintained by the folks on the second floor of Blair Hall, while tedious and complex, has met the gold standard for evidence-based continuous program improvement for the preparation of educators.”
According to its website, CAEP is the only national accreditor recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. 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. More than 600 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including some previously accredited through former standards.
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 have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.
Essentially, accreditation is the ultimate stamp of approval from peers that an entity is meeting institutional and professional standards in preparing teachers. The ongoing national teacher shortage is clear proof that tomorrow’s teachers must be highly prepared and adaptable in the classroom.
“These 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,” said CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. CAEP believes in striving for excellence in educator preparation, and advancing equity and performance through evidence-based reviews that promote quality and continuous improvement.
