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. 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 Accreditation Policy.)

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.
Fall 2019 Site Visits
EPP Name State
Adelphi University NY
American College of Education IN
Andrews University MI
Ashland University OH
Bellarmine University KY
Bennett College NC
Butler University IN
Calvin College MI
Campbellsville University KY
Carson-Newman University TN
Chapman University CA
Chicago State University IL
Coastal Carolina University SC
Defiance College OH
Drew University NJ
East Central University OK
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania PA
Fairleigh Dickinson University NJ
Florida A&M University FL
Franklin College IN
Freed-Hardeman University TN
Gallaudet University DC
Haskell Indian Nations University KS
Heidelberg University OH
Indiana State University IN
Indiana University Purdue University - Columbus IN
Indiana University South Bend IN
Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo Campus PR
Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Fajardo PR
Kean University NJ
Lewis and Clark College OR
Livingstone College NC
Luther College IA
Marygrove College MI
Missouri State University MO
Morris College SC
National-Louis University IL
New Mexico Highlands University NM
Newberry College SC
Northeastern Illinois University IL
Northwestern Oklahoma State University OK
Old Dominion University VA
Pace University NY
Philander Smith College AR
Plymouth State University NH
Princeton University NJ
Radford University VA
Samford University AL
Shaw University NC
Shepherd University WV
Siena Heights University MI
South Dakota State University SD
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale IL
St. John Fisher College NY
State University of New York at Geneseo NY
The University of Alabama in Huntsville AL
Troy University AL
Union College NE
Universidad Ana G. Mendez - Recinto de Gurabo PR
Universidad De Puerto Rico De Cayey PR
University of Akron OH
University of Alaska Southeast AK
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff AR
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR
University of Cincinnati OH
University of Delaware DE
University of Hawaii - West O'ahu HI
University of Maryland Baltimore County MD
University of Michigan-Dearborn MI
University of Missouri-Saint Louis MO
University of Rio Grande OH
University of South Dakota SD
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga TN
University of West Florida FL
Virginia State University VA
West Virginia University at Parkersburg WV
Western Illinois University IL
Western Michigan University MI
Winthrop University SC
Spring 2020 Site Visits
EPP Name State
Arkansas Tech University AR
Baker College MI
Bowie State University MD
Caldwell University NJ
Calumet College of St. Joseph IN
Chadron State College NE
Clarion University of Pennsylvania PA
Concord University WV
Concordia University OR
Cornerstone University MI
Duquesne University PA
Glenville State College WV
Goshen College IN
Hamline University MN
Huntington University IN
Indiana University East IN
Indiana University Northwest IN
Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Guayama Campus PR
Lincoln Memorial University TN
Lipscomb University TN
Louisiana State University and A&M College LA
Mars Hill University NC
Mayville State University ND
New York University NY
Oakland University MI
Oklahoma Christian University OK
Relay Graduate School of Education NY
Robert Morris University PA
Southwestern Oklahoma State University OK
St. Lawrence University NY
Stockton University NJ
The University of Southern Mississippi MS
The University of Tampa, College of Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Education FL
Touro College NY
Union University TN
Universidad De Puerto Rico Ponce PR
University of Idaho ID
University of La Verne CA
University of Mary Washington VA
University of South Alabama AL
University of South Carolina-Aiken SC
University of South Florida FL
University of Texas of the Permian Basin TX
University of the Cumberlands KY
Ursuline College OH
Wilmington University DE
Winona State University MN
Zayed University UAE