Mount Union Department of Education Earns Prestigious CAEP Accreditation

Now 1 of 50 providers in the U.S. meeting new, rigorous CAEP national accreditation standards to better prepare tomorrow's teachers

WASHINGTON (05/22/2017) — WASHINGTON - The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) recently announced that the University of Mount Union is one of 16 providers from 10 states and the District of Columbia to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs.

The spring 2017 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council increased the total number of providers to 50 approved under the CAEP teacher preparation standards-rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

"These institutions 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 and provides opportunities for continuous improvement to programs committed to excellence."

CAEP is the sole 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 institutions focused on educator preparation. Currently, more than 800 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system, including many grandfathered into accreditation under former standards.

"Our faculty and students should be very proud of their efforts. We set a high bar for our teacher prep programs, and CAEP accreditation validates the hard work we are doing," said Dr. Melissa Askren-Edgehouse, associate professor and chair of the Department of Education at Mount Union. "I'm so pleased with the support that our partner districts, alumni, and our students have shown our department through this process. We are quite fortunate to have such dedicated, caring, and driven partners."

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 there must be 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 or required components under the standards, it is placed on probation for two years, or until it provides evidence that it meets the standard. When seeking first-time accreditation, providers that do not meet one or more of the standards are denied accreditation.

Askren-Edgehouse and the Department of Education worked tirelessly throughout the accreditation process to help earn this mark of distinction to be passed on to Mount Union students. Mount Union President Dick Merriman lauded the efforts of the department's faculty and staff for their commitment to advancing Mount Union.

The University of Mount Union has been preparing teachers since the institution's beginning in 1846. Mount Union offers 13 undergraduate teacher education programs that lead to initial Ohio licensure, including early childhood, middle childhood, intervention specialist, adolescence to young adult, and multiage education.

Mount Union is now one of only 50 preparation providers from 25 states and the District of Columbia have received CAEP accreditation to better prepare tomorrow's teachers.

For more information on Mount Union's accreditations and affiliations, visit mountunion.edu/accreditations-and-affiliations.

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.

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