Montgomery, Ala. (June 21, 2023)—Huntingdon College’s Educator Preparation Programs, housed in the Department of Teacher Education, have earned national accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Department chair Dr. Carolyn Corliss, professor of teacher education, was notified earlier this month, following a months-long process of preparation and review that concluded in fall 2022.
“CAEP is the Gold Star for educator preparation program (EPP) accreditation,” said Dr. Corliss. “CAEP accreditation is assurance through external peer review that the College has demonstrated that it meets standards set by organizations representing the academic community, professionals, and other stakeholders. CAEP accreditation provides a framework that pushes EPPs to self-assess and to conduct evidence-based analysis of their programs’ efficacy on a continual basis. These evidence-based shifts, rooted in continuous improvement, are helping to ensure that educator preparation programs are more likely to produce successful educators.”
The process of accreditation review and assessment involved meeting the following seven standards: content and pedagogical knowledge; clinical partnerships and practice; candidate recruitment, progression, and support; program impact; quality assurance system and continuous improvement; fiscal and administrative capacity; and record of compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
“The rigorous CAEP Standards define an accreditation process that is radically—and intentionally— different from previous generations of educator preparation accreditors,” said Dr. Corliss. “The CAEP standards call on EPP providers to imagine what success looks like in their local context, to create a culture of continuous improvement at the faculty level, and to define how they will link valid, reliable evidence to demonstrate this achievement.” According to Dr. Corliss, everyone benefits from the accreditation process and standards. “For P-12 learners, accreditation means that learners are at the center of determining the effectiveness of educators. Because the accreditation process is infused with research and development, teacher educators’ knowledge base of effective practice grows. For state education agencies, accredited programs provide strong partners for quality assurance, connecting the national consensus on preparation with state-level policy and providing support for the state’s authorization and accountability system. And for all education professionals, CAEP’s rigorous standards elevate the profession.”
Huntingdon President J. Cameron West was quick to congratulate the faculty, staff, and students who had been part of the accreditation and assessment process. “Huntingdon’s Department of Teacher Education is blessed with faculty who are dedicated to students, to the field, and to the program. I have watched as they provide consistent encouragement to our teacher candidates, and I am thrilled with the growth in the program both in numbers of students who are interested in entering the field of education and in excellence of the programs we offer. I thank Dr. Corliss for the leadership she has provided to bring the department to this significant achievement, and I thank the strong team of educators she has pulled together to work with her in the department.”
Huntingdon’s educator preparation programs will undergo review by CAEP every seven to ten years to ensure that standards are continually met. The College offers the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education/Collaborative Special Education (Grades K–5); Collaborative Special Education (Grades 6–12); Biology with Secondary Teacher Education in Biology (Grades 6–12); English with Secondary Teacher Education in English Language Arts (Grades 6–12); History with Secondary Teacher Education in General Social Studies (Grades 6–12); History with Secondary Teacher Education in History (Grades 6–12); Mathematics with Secondary Teacher Education in Mathematics (Grades 6–12); Music Education (Grades P–12, Instrumental); and Physical Education (Grades P–12).
Huntingdon College is a coeducational residential liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church offering more than thirty undergraduate programs of study, an Honors Program, Presidential Fellows Program, Kingswood Initiative, choral and instrumental music programs, dance and cheer teams, student organizations including Greek life and Campus Ministries, 21 NCAA-Division III athletic teams, and coed ESports, new for fall 2023. The College also offers the Master of Athletic Training.
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