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Reaching New Standards in Education

Shenandoah's Teacher Education Programs Attain Rigorous Accreditation

After passing a rigorous peer review this spring, Shenandoah University joins 41 other higher-education institutions in earning accreditation for its teacher preparation programs.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced in late May that 42 providers from 23 states and the District of Columbia earned accreditation this spring, bringing the total of CAEP-accredited education preparation programs to 238 in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Joining Shenandoah in the spring 2019 CAEP class are Duke University, University of Virginia and Ohio State University, among others.

CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for 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. Seeking CAEP accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”

CAEP President Christopher A. Koch said in a May press release

Shenandoah has been accredited under a previous accreditor for the past seven years.

The new CAEP accreditation means that Shenandoah’s teacher education programs—ranging from undergraduate to graduate degrees—are nationally accredited as well as being programs approved by Virginia’s Board of Education. The process took two years, involved annual data reports, public access to findings, a self-study showing compliance with CAEP standards, a site visit by five national and three state reviewers, and a final national accreditation panel review.

To maintain CAEP accreditation, School of Education & Leadership programs must undergo peer review every seven years.

Shenandoah University’s School of Education & Leadership is proud to have earned national accreditation for our initial-level licensure programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. CAEP accreditation means we demonstrated—through an extensive external peer review process—that our programs meet standards set by the nationally recognized organization representing the academic community, professionals, and stakeholders within educator preparation.”

Jill Lindsey, Ph.D., director of the School of Education and Leadership.

Lindsey credits Professor of Education & Director of Educator Licensure Mary Bowser, Ed.D., and Assistant Professor of Quantitative Methods Sarah Daniels, Ph.D., along with administrative specialists Christina Johnson and Kirsten Mycko, for their help in the accreditation process.

For more information about CAEP, visit caepnet.org or call 202/233-0077.

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