Looking for an acronym? Please see the acronyms listing.

Parity.

The equity of an educator preparation provider’s (EPP) budget, facilities, equipment, faculty and candidate support, supplies, and other elements of the EPP compared to the resources available to similar programs at the institution or organization that houses the EPP.

Parsimony.

Measures or metrics that are limited in number but powerful in information. For CEP purposes, the fewest number of measures or metrics that make a compelling case for meeting a standard.

Partner.

Organizations, businesses, community groups, agencies, schools, districts, and/or EPPs specifically involved in designing, implementing, and assessing the clinical experience.

Partnership.

Mutually beneficial agreement among various partners in which all participating members engage in and contribute to goals for preparing education professionals. This may include examples such as school district and higher education agreements, pipeline initiatives, Professional Development Schools, or partner networks.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge.

A core part of content knowledge for teaching that includes: core activities of teaching, such as figuring out what students know; choosing and managing representations of ideas; appraising, selecting and modifying textbooks; deciding among alternative courses of action and analyzing the subject matter knowledge and insight entailed in these activities.

Pedagogical Knowledge.

The broad principles and strategies of classroom instruction, management, and organization that transcend subject matter knowledge.

Pedagogical Skills.

An educator’s abilities or expertise to impart the specialized knowledge/content of their subject area(s).

Peer Review.

A self-regulation process by which the quality of an institution, organization, educator preparation provider (EPP), school, or other entity is evaluated by individuals who are active participants in the profession. CAEP accreditation is a peer review process.

Performance Assessment.

Product- and behavior-based measurements based on settings designed to emulate real-life contexts or conditions in which specific knowledge or skills are actually applied.

Performance Data.

Information, both quantitative and qualitative, derived from assessments of educator candidate proficiencies as demonstrated in practice.

Petition.

The document prepared by an educator preparation provider (EPP) to explain the grounds for an appeal following denial or revocation of accreditation.

Preponderance of Evidence.

An overall confirmation, based on the professional judgment of the reviewer, that standards are met based on the strength, weight, or quality of evidence. This preponderance is based on the convincing evidence and its probable truth or accuracy, and not simply on the amount of evidence. (See evidence).

Probationary Accreditation.

The continuing accreditation decision rendered by the Accreditation Council when an educator preparation provider (EPP) fails to meet one of CAEP’s standards.

Probationary Visit.

The site review that occurs after the Accreditation Council puts an educator professional provider (EPP) on probation for failing to meet one of CAEP’s standards.

Professional Development.

Opportunities for educators to develop new knowledge and skills through professional learning activities and events such as in-service education, conference attendance, sabbatical leave, summer leave, intra- and inter-institutional visitations, fellowships, and work in P-12 schools.

Professional Development School (PDS).

A specially structured school in which Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) and P-12 school clinical educators collaborate to (1) provide practicum, field experience, clinical practice, and internship experiences; (2) support and enable the professional development of the educator preparation provider (EPP) and P-12 school clinical educators; (3) support and enable inquiry directed at the improvement of practice; and (4) support and enhance P-12 student achievement.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

Educators committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research in order to achieve better results for students they serve. CAEP supports PLCs for a variety of stakeholders.

Proficiencies.

Demonstrated abilities to perform some part of what is described by standards.

Program.

A planned sequence of academic courses and experiences leading to a degree, a recommendation for a state license, or some other credential that entitles the holder to perform professional education services in a P-12 setting. Educator preparation providers (EPPs) may offer a number of program options (for example, elementary education, special education, secondary education in specific subject areas, etc.).

Program Approval.

A separate status from National Recognition provided by SPAs, program approval is the distinction granted by a state government agency when an educator preparation provider (EPP) program meets the state’s standards and/or requirements. Program approval can encompass continuous review or one-time approval.

Program Completer.

Any candidate who exited an educator preparation program by successfully satisfying the requirements of the Educator Preparation Provider (EPP).  (See Completer.)

Program Review with National Recognition.

The process by which CAEP, in collaboration with its specialized professional associations (SPAs), assesses the quality of programs offered by educator preparation providers (EPPs). EPPs that select this program review option are required to submit their programs for review by SPAs as part of the accreditation process unless otherwise specified by the state partnership agreement with CAEP. 

Program Reviewers.

Peer volunteers who review specialized educator licensure areas against the standards of Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs) and provide feedback to the state and site reviewers. 

Progressions-Progressive Levels.

Descriptions of increasingly sophisticated ways of thinking about and enacting teaching practice that suggest trajectories of growth that both depend upon learning from experience and are influenced by support from mentors, interaction with colleagues, and engagement in ongoing professional learning (InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, p. 50).

Proprietary.

A descriptor for assessments used as a source of evidence for CAEP standards that are created and/or administered by states, research organizations, or commercial test organizations. Typically, information about the design of the assessments, and their validation, scoring, and other attributes, is available from sponsors online or in response to requests from EPPs or states. CAEP distinguishes proprietary assessments from EPP-created assessments in which the EPP takes responsibility for design, administration, and validation.

Protocol.

Expectations for actions, behaviors, or reports, similar to etiquette (for example, CAEP protocol dictates that at the end of a site review the lead site review meets with the head of the educator preparation provider to share team findings) (adapted from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges glossary).

Public Disclosure.

(1) A CAEP policy to ensure that an educator preparation provider (EPP) maintains its accreditation status, candidate performance data, and accreditation information available on the EPP’s website for access by current and prospective candidates, parents, faculty, school professionals, and others. (2) A CAEP policy to ensure that CAEP maintains the accreditation status of EPPs and other accreditation information on its website.