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 review.

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 review 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 review. The response must be received by CAEP no less than two (2) weeks prior to the site review. 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 evaluation 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. 
Spring 2024 Reviews
Institution State Visit Begin Date Visit End Date
Hiram College OH 1/27/2025 1/29/2025
Ball State University IN 2/24/2025 2/26/2025
Sacred Heart University CT 2/24/2025 2/26/2025
The College of Wooster OH 2/24/2025 2/26/2025
North Greenville University SC 2/26/2025 2/28/2025
Bethel College KS 3/3/2025 3/5/2025
Southern Arkansas University AR 3/3/2025 3/5/2025
Tennessee Technological University TN 3/3/2025 3/5/2025
Northern Kentucky University KY 3/5/2025 3/7/2025
Schoolcraft College MI 3/16/2025 3/18/2025
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University VA 3/24/2025 3/26/2025
Washburn University KS 3/24/2025 3/26/2025
West Liberty University WV 3/24/2025 3/26/2025
MidAmerica Nazarene University KS 3/31/2025 4/2/2025
Black Hills State University SD 4/2/2025 4/4/2025
Baldwin Wallace University OH 4/7/2025 4/9/2025
Hastings College NE 4/7/2025 4/9/2025
Louisiana Tech University LA 4/7/2025 4/9/2025
Xavier University of Louisiana LA 4/7/2025 4/9/2025
Montana State University-Billings MT 4/9/2025 4/11/2025
Lake Superior State University MI 4/14/2025 4/16/2025
Louisiana State University in Shreveport LA 4/14/2025 4/16/2025
University of Missouri-Kansas City MO 4/14/2025 4/16/2025
Western Kentucky University KY 4/14/2025 4/16/2025
Midwestern State University TX 4/21/2025 4/23/2025
Appalachian Bible College WV 4/23/2025 4/25/2025
Governors State University IL 4/23/2025 4/25/2025
Manhattanville University NY 4/23/2025 4/25/2025
University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE 4/23/2025 4/25/2025
Davis & Elkins College WV 4/28/2025 4/30/2025
West Virginia Wesleyan College WV 4/28/2025 4/30/2025
The College of William and Mary VA 5/5/2025 5/7/2025
University of North Florida FL 5/5/2025 5/7/2025
Southern University and A&M College LA 5/7/2025 5/9/2025
Western Governors University UT 5/14/2025 5/16/2025
Spring Arbor University MI 5/19/2025 5/21/2025
University of Bridgeport CT 6/2/2025 6/4/2025
Pathway to Practice NC NC 5/4/2025 5/6/2025