Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation: Elevating Educator Quality
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and continuous improvement of educator preparation programs (EPPs) across the United States. Through rigorous accreditation standards and processes, CAEP strives to produce effective educators who are well-prepared to meet the challenges of today's classrooms.
Formation and History of CAEP
CAEP was formed in 2013 through the merger of two predecessor organizations: the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). NCATE, a non-profit, non-governmental accrediting body, was founded in 1954. Discussions about merging TEAC and NCATE began in 2009, with the goal of creating a new accrediting body for educator preparation.
By 2012, Ohio became the first state to partner with CAEP as the new educator preparation accrediting body. CAEP became fully operational in 2013 as the sole accrediting body for educator preparation providers and was recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2014. James Cibulka, former president of NCATE and dean of the College of Education at the University of Kentucky, was the founding leader of CAEP. In 2015, he was succeeded by Dr. Christopher A. Koch, former Illinois state superintendent of education, who serves as the current President of CAEP. The headquarters of CAEP is located in Washington, DC.
The Significance of CAEP Accreditation
Accreditation by CAEP is a significant achievement for colleges and universities, signifying a commitment to quality and excellence in educator preparation. CAEP accreditation requirements benefit students and institutions alike. Students gain access to the highest level of education, preparing them for their future careers, while institutions have a model for continual improvement and legitimacy. When choosing where to study education, students will gravitate toward CAEP-accredited options.
CAEP accreditation consists of an unbiased external party reviewing colleges and schools within a higher education institution to assess the efficacy of their education preparation provider (EPP) programs. CAEP accreditation standards help ensure a degree in education is more than a piece of paper.
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Many states require CAEP accreditation for EPPs. Graduates from non-accredited schools will not be granted leave to work in these states unless the provider of the educator’s program has met CAEP criteria.
CAEP Accreditation Standards and Requirements
To meet CAEP accreditation standards and requirements, higher learning institutions must undertake a detailed process so the accrediting body can determine whether they meet the requirements. Those seeking CAEP accreditation must endeavor to meet six standards:
Candidate recruitment, progression, and support: Candidates must be selected from a broad range of backgrounds and be of suitable quality. They must demonstrate skills suited to the teaching profession. They must also be consistently monitored and supported throughout their studies.
Program impact: This is measured after educators have finished their studies and started work in the field.
Quality assurance system and continuous improvement: EPPs must provide valid and evidence-based data to support continuous improvement. Experiential Learning Cloud assists in centralizing and streamlining program outcomes. This higher education platform helps elevate programmatic excellence for all EPP programs by tracking data and unlocking powerful insights from one central platform. The program empowers students, supervisors, faculty and leadership while relieving administrative directors of time-consuming CAEP accreditation reporting. For an institution of higher learning to receive and maintain CAEP accreditation, program outcomes must be reported annually.
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Growth in teacher-educator knowledge: The accreditation process consists of continual improvement and research and development.
Content and Pedagogical Knowledge
Clinical Partnerships and Practice
Fiscal and Administrative Capacity
Record of Compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act (only for EPPs seeking access to Title IV funds)
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The CAEP conducts a full review of an institution every seven to ten years to ensure it is still producing quality educators through the efficacy of its programs.
The Importance of Accreditation for Various Stakeholders
Accreditation is of utmost importance to many people in the education sphere, including education professionals, K-12 teachers, state education agencies and teacher educators. It provides a framework in which EPPs can continually self-assess. The gathering of standardized evidence allows programs to change direction and further enhance their efficacy.
CAEP's Impact on Teacher Preparation
CAEP-accredited colleges of education are expected to ensure that teacher candidates know their subject and how to teach it effectively. CAEP has approved teacher preparation program standards for 22 program areas. CAEP accreditation makes sure that educator programs prepare new teachers to know their subjects, their students, and have the clinical training that allows them to enter the classroom ready to teach effectively.
Examples of Institutions and Programs with CAEP Accreditation
The University of Tampa Department of Education earned accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the standards of which are rigorous, nationally recognized and developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs. Governors State University’s Education Preparation Provider Unit (EPPU), requires EPPUs to disseminate information on the CAEP Accountability Measures (for CHEA Requirements) for the following programs:
Initial Licensure Programs:
- Early Childhood
- Elementary
- Secondary Biology BA
- Secondary Biology PB
- Secondary Chemistry BA
- Secondary Chemistry PB
- Secondary English/Language Arts BA
- Secondary English/Language Arts PB
- Secondary Mathematics BA
- Secondary Mathematics PB
- Secondary Mathematics MS
- Secondary Social Science BA
- Secondary Social Science PB
- Special Education
Advanced Programs:
- Educational Administration - Principal Preparation
- Interdisciplinary Leadership - Superintendent Preparation
- School Psychology
EPP Advanced Programs Accredited by Other Professional Organizations:
- School Counseling
- School Social Worker
- School Speech Language Pathologist
Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Human Sciences is accredited based on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards through June 2026. This accreditation covers specific Walden initial teacher and advanced educator preparation programs, including the BS in Elementary Education, Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) - Special Education specialization, MS in Education - Educational Leadership and Administration specialization, and EdS in Educational Leadership and Administration. The MAT-SPED, MSED-ELA, and EdS-ELA programs were reviewed by Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs), which define content-area standards for programs, and achieved national recognition.
CAEP Accountability Measures and Data
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the accrediting body for Governors State University’s Education Preparation Provider Unit (EPPU), requires EPPUs to disseminate information on the CAEP Accountability Measures (for CHEA Requirements).
CAEP 2023 Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness (R4.1)
- 2021 Data: The demonstrated teaching skills and impact on K-12 students report visualizes the performance evaluations of completers.
- Candidate Performance as a Classroom Teacher: The demonstrated teaching skills and impact on K-12 students report visualizes the performance evaluations of candidates who have completed a program at the institution and are employed in an Illinois public school. Overall, GSU completers are rated at Proficient or Excellent by their employer. These data reflect the impact of COVID-19 in AY2020-21 and AY2021-22 in the number of completers whose skills need improvement. A major focus has been to enhance partnerships with school districts to increase the number of mentors for candidates throughout their educator preparation programs.
CAEP 2023 Measure 2: Satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement (R4.2|R5.3|RA4.1)
- The Employer Satisfaction Survey for the teachers is aligned to the Danielson Rubric, which is designed on a 4-point scale, ranging Unsatisfactory - Excellent. The demonstrated administrative skills and impact on P-22 students report visualizes the performance of candidates who have completed a program at Governors State University.
CAEP 2023 Measure 3: Candidate competency at completion.
- The Mastery of Teaching Subjects report visualizes the institution averages and percentages of ILTS content area test scores. The Knowledge and Skills for Teaching domain measured by ISBE evaluates how well candidates perform on state teaching assessments and how well candidates believe their program has prepared them for the classroom. This domain provides the most direct evidence that programs are equipping candidates who complete the program with the knowledge of their teaching subjects, an understanding of their role as teachers, and the teaching experience and skill required to be successful with students when they enter the teaching profession. This chart displays the percentage of candidates who passed a content area exam on any attempt, the average program scores, and average state scores.
CAEP 2023 Measure 4: Ability of completer to be hired
- All program completers are eligible for hire upon graduation. The AY2020-21 and the fall of 2021 were exceptions due to the COVID pandemic. Under Gubernatorial Executive Order, candidates were allowed to graduate without passing the content test for licensure.
CAEP 2024 Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness (R4.1)
- 2023 ISBE APR Report: 2022 Program Data - Demonstrated Teaching Skills, Candidate Performance as a Classroom Teacher: The demonstrated teaching skills and impact on K-12 students report visualizes the performance evaluations of candidates who have completed a program at the institution and are employed in an Illinois public school. Overall, GovSt completers are rated at Proficient or Excellent by their employer. These data reflect the impact of COVID-19 in AY2020-21 and AY2021-22 in the number of completers whose skills need improvement. A major focus has been to enhance partnerships with school districts to increase the number of mentors for candidates throughout their educator preparation programs.
CAEP 2024 Measure 2: Satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement. (R4.2|R5.3|RA4)
- The Employer Satisfaction Survey for the teachers is aligned to the Danielson Rubric, which is designed on a 4-point scale, ranging Unsatisfactory - Excellent. The results below show candidates during their first year of teaching performed at the levels of excellent or proficient on knowledge of content and management of instructional time (100%) and the ability to plan for the long-range and short-range instructional goals (90%). The demonstrated administrative skills and impact on P-22 students report visualizes the performance of candidates who have completed a program at Governors State University.
CAEP 2024 Measure 4: Ability of completer to be hired
- 2023 ISBE Annual Report: 2021-22 Program Data -- Contribution to State Needs All program completers are eligible for hire upon graduation. Completers with Full-Time Employment: View the number of completers from each program year who found full-time employment in teaching or other educational roles within two years of program completion.
How to Find CAEP-Accredited Programs
To find a CAEP-accredited program, prospective students can visit the CAEP website, which provides a directory of accredited institutions and programs. Students can also look for the CAEP seal of approval on college websites and program materials.
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