WASHINGTON – The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced today that 46 providers from 22 states and Puerto Rico have received accreditation for their educator preparation programs. The spring 2018 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council increased to 147: the total number of providers approved under the CAEP teacher preparation standards—rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation.  

“These providers 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.” 

CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. It is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all providers focused on educator preparation. Currently, more than 800 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including many previously accredited through former standards.

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five 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.

If a program fails to meet one of the five standards, it is placed on probation for two years. Probation may be lifted in two years if a program provides evidence that it meets the standard. 

“These providers should be very proud of the work they are doing. We’ve set a very high bar with our standards and receiving accreditation validates the hard work educator preparation providers are doing,” said Dr. Kim Walters-Parker, Chair of CAEP’s Accreditation Council. “Candidates in programs receiving CAEP Accreditation are investing in an education program that is designated as nationally accredited for educator preparation.”

The 46 providers that received CAEP Accreditation in spring 2018 are joining the 101 providers previously accredited. Overall, 147 preparation providers from 36 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have received CAEP Accreditation.

Also, in spring of 2018, the Accreditation Council voted to revoke accreditation for three EPPs. These decisions will be made public once final and at the conclusion of any appeals.

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.