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Last modified: Tuesday, November 16, 2010

IU School of Education receives accreditation, high marks for teacher education

Organization that ensures quality of teacher education renews accreditation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 16, 2010

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University School of Education has received continuing accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the organization responsible for professional accreditation of teacher education.

The board of examiners that conducted the review found that the IU School of Education's core campus locations at IU Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) as well as the IUPUI-affiliated campus in Columbus (IUPUC) met all standards for its categories of initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation.

Gerardo Gonzalez

Gerardo Gonzalez, dean, IU School of Education

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"At a time when accreditation decisions across the board in higher education have become much more focused on measurable performance, we're delighted that the NCATE board of examiners who reviewed the evidence found that all our programs met rigorous national standards," said Gerardo Gonzalez, dean of the IU School of Education.

NCATE currently accredits 667 colleges of education with nearly 100 more seeking NCATE accreditation. NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards set by the profession and members of the public. Accreditation is determined by assessing six categories of standards:

  • Candidate knowledge, skills and professional dispositions: Teacher candidates must demonstrate in-depth knowledge of subject matter they plan to teach as well as the skills necessary to convey it.
  • Assessment system and unit evaluation: The institution must carefully assess this knowledge and skill of teacher candidates.
  • Field experiences and clinical practice: The institution must have partnerships with P-12 schools that enable candidates to develop skills.
  • Diversity: Candidates must be prepared to understand and work with diverse student populations.
  • Faculty qualifications, performance and development: College and university faculty must model effective teaching practices.
  • Unit governance and resources: The institution must have the resources necessary to prepare candidates to meet new standards.

The NCATE Board of Examiners, which made site visits to the campuses, provided exemplary remarks about how the School of Education met each of the standards. "IU Bloomington, IUPUI and IUPUC all are doing a good job in preparing candidates for their positions in teaching, administration and counseling," the examiners wrote in the final report. "Candidates possess the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for success."

Citing particular examples, the examiners quoted a teacher candidate who said, "'They (mentors and university faculty) really let you think, let you dream, let you explore.'" Another noted an IUPUI graduate who told of working with students two and three years behind academically, but was able to raise test scores above the general population in just a year.

"The examples cited by the NCATE team are characteristic of what our alumni, their employers and students they teach tell us about the preparation IU teacher education students receive," said Gonzalez.

Standards for NCATE accreditation are driven by data that demonstrate what teacher candidates know and can do in the classroom. They are revised every five years to ensure they meet the latest research and best practices as well as the teaching standards in each state.

Education leaders across the country have long recognized the IU School of Education as a leader in teacher education, and School of Education graduates have consistently led innovation and achievement in schools. Eight of the ten finalists for Indiana's Teacher of the Year award for 2011 were alumni, with the winner and runner-up both holding degrees from the IU School of Education. Last week, two alumni earned the honor of being named a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the highest recognition that a preschool through 12th-grade mathematics or science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the U.S. For more information about the IU School of Education's teacher education program, visit www.education.indiana.edu.

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as a specialized accrediting body for schools, colleges and departments of education. NCATE is composed of more than 30 professional and policymaker organizations representing millions of Americans committed to quality teaching. It was founded in 1954 by the teaching profession and the states. More information about NCATE is available at www.ncate.org.