All educator preparation providers (EPPs) are required to solicit third-party comment on the quality of the EPP’s programs as part of the accreditation review process.

Third Party Comments

The EPP is required to solicit third party comment on its qualifications for accreditation as part of the accreditation review process. The EPP is required to provide evidence to CAEP within seven (7) days of such notice being posted. If an EPP does not provide evidence that it has sought third-party comment, CAEP reserves the right to reschedule the site visit.

Not less than sixteen (16) weeks prior to the scheduled date of a site visit, both the EPP and CAEP must publicly announce the upcoming accreditation review and the date of the site visit to provide time for interested stakeholders to make comments. For example, if an EPP’s site visit begins on December 3, 2017, it must display the announcement of third-party comments by August 4, 2017. Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, full-time and adjunct faculty/educators, staff, candidates, cooperating teachers and/or mentors, completers, and employers.

CAEP accepts written comments from stakeholders up to six (6) weeks before the site visit and provides these comments to the EPP. The EPP can respond to any written comments received prior to the scheduled site visit. The response must be received by CAEP no less than two (2) weeks prior to the site visit. Third party comments and the EPP response, if any, are submitted in AIMS. (See policy 5.09 in the CAEP Accreditation Policy document)

A sample of a Call for Comments notice is provided below. The statement may be modified by an EPP as appropriate:

The School of Education at XYZ University is hosting an accreditation visit by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) on [date of visit]. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the site team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the party's relationship to the provider (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates).

We invite you to submit written testimony to:

CAEP
1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
Or by email to: callforcomments@caepnet.org

Such comments must be within the specified period and based on the core tenets of CAEP accreditation standards of excellence, which recognize that:

  • In CAEP's performance-based system, accreditation is based on evidence that demonstrates that teacher candidates know the subject matter and can teach it effectively so that students learn. In the CAEP system, EPPs must prove that candidates can connect theory to practice and be effective in an actual P-12 classroom.
  • A professional education provider that is accredited by CAEP is expected to be involved in ongoing planning and evaluation; engaged in continuous assessment and development; ensure that faculty and programs reflect new knowledge, practice, and technologies; and be involved in continuous development in response to the evolving world of education and educational reform.
  • Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the respondent's relationship, if any, to the institution (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates). Copies of all correspondence received will be sent to the university for comment prior to the review. No anonymous testimony will be considered.

The professional education units at the following institutions are being considered for accreditation:


Fall 2017 State
Alfred University Education Department NY
Aquinas College Teacher Education Program MI
Arkansas State University Professional Education Unit AR
Ashland University Dwight Schar College of Education OH
Bethel University School of Education TN
Bluffton University Education Department OH
Calvin College   Teacher Education MI
Central Baptist College Central Baptist Teacher Education Program AR
Concordia University Chicago Teacher Education IL
Eastern Kentucky University College of Education KY
Eastern Michigan University College of Education MI
Elizabeth City State University School of Education and Psychology NC
Five Towns College Education Division NY
Florida International University College of Arts, Sciences, and Education FL
Heidelberg University School of Education OH
Hiram College Education Department  OH
Indiana University Purdue University - Columbus School of Education IN
Indiana University Purdue University - Indianapolis School of Education IN
Kaho'iwai Teacher Education Program HI
Kean University College of Education NJ
Langston University School of Education and Behavioral Sciences OK
Lee University Helen DeVos College of Education TN
Lindsey Wilson College Education Division GA
Marietta Collge Education Department OH
McNeese State University  Burton College of Education LA
Molloy College Division of Education NY
Morris College Teacher Education SC
Muskingum University Education Department OH
New Jersey City University College of Education NJ
Northern Illinois University Professional Education IL
Pace University School of Education NY
Pittsburg State University College of Education KS
Plymouth State University Council of Educator Preparation NH
Saint Louis University School of Education MO
Saint Mary's College Education Department IN
Seton Hall University College of Education and Human Services NJ
Shepherd University Professional Education Unit WV
The College of Wooster Professional Education Unit - Department of Education
  OH
The University of Scranton Panuska College of Professional Studies
 PA
Universidad De Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus School of Education PR
University of Akron College of Education OH
University of Alaska Southeast School of Education AK
University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Education AR
University of Indianapolis School of Education IN
University of Louisiana at Monroe College of Arts, Education, and Sciences LA
University of Maine at Farmington College of Education, Health & Rehabilitation ME
University of Nebraska at Kearney College of Education NE
University of Rio Grande Bunce School of Education OH
University of South Carolina College of Education SC
University of Southern Indiana Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education IN
University of Tennessee at Martin College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences TN
University of Texas at Arlington College of Education TX
Utica College Office of Educator Preparation  NY
Wichita State University College of Education KS