The Ohio State University's Educator Preparation Unit has once again achieved continued accreditation, demonstrating that it is serving the field well by meeting the performance-oriented standards set by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The Council’s Accreditation Board made the official decision at its October 2015 meeting.

Ohio State’s NCATE accreditation applies to educator preparation programs in Columbus, Lima, Mansfield, Marion and Newark. Across these five campuses, accredited programs are available in:

  • Initial teacher preparation (i.e., students seeking their first teaching license)
  • Advanced educator preparation (e.g., administrative and endorsement programs)
  • Other school professional roles, such as—
    • school audiologists
    • counselors
    • psychologists
    • social workers
    • speech language pathologists

Each year, Ohio State students who complete educator preparation programs are eligible for licensure in Ohio. These programs are housed in five colleges:

  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Education and Human Ecology
  • College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
  • College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • College of Social Work

Ohio State was among the institutions first accredited in 1954 when NCATE became an accrediting body. The NCATE accreditation decision indicates that the unit and its programs meet rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community.

This year’s accrediting team praised Ohio State’s relationships with school partners and other stakeholders, the diversity of our field placements at the initial licensure level, and faculty members’ high level of engagement in their respective fields.

“We are proud that for more than 60 years, Ohio State’s educator preparation program has successfully shown its commitment to graduating quality P-12 educators dedicated to our nation’s children by receiving ongoing NCATE accreditation,” said Cheryl Achterberg, dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology. “Further, achieving the NCATE standards places Ohio State among the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation that train teachers and other school professionals.”

Appreciation for a job well done

Dean Achterberg extended appreciation to Erica Brownstein, assistant dean, and her team in the Office of Accreditation, Placement, and Licensure of the College of Education and Human Ecology for leading Ohio State’s accreditation effort.

The NCATE accrediting team expressed appreciation for the cooperation received from the more than 244 individuals (including students, alumni, faculty, staff, instructors and P-12 teachers and administrators) that they interviewed during their site visit last April.

Yuhang Rong, the NCATE team chair and assistant vice provost of global affairs at the University of Connecticut, Naeg College of Education, said, "Ohio State has the best students and alumni we have ever seen. They were articulate and candid. We have seen many quality programs across the nation and your students stood out."

Brownstein extends her gratitude to those 244 individuals as well. “We are most appreciative of the students, alumni, faculty, staff, instructors and P-12 teachers and administrators who gave their time so generously to demonstrate the depth, breadth and commitment of Ohio State’s educator preparation programs to the accrediting team.”

Next accreditation review by CAEP

NCATE recently merged with the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) to form a new accrediting body, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). As a result, this was the last visit from NCATE accreditors. The next visit will address the new CAEP standards.

 

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