Today@Sam Article

College Of Education Receives Accreditation Renewal

July 8, 2016
SHSU Media Contact: Tammy Parrett

The Sam Houston State University College of Education’s accreditation was recently renewed for seven years, through the fall 2022 semester, through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards.

NCATE accreditation through the Council of the Accreditation of Educator Preparation accreditation system indicates that the college’s educator preparation programs meet rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community. 

These standards provide assurance that SHSU candidates are engaged in a rigorous process to prepare them for a career in teaching. The process is rich with knowledge, skills, dispositions, and field experience through an integrated curriculum that establishes a systematic preparation program in which the candidate transitions from classroom to methods to student teaching. 

“Our fundamental goal in the College of Education at Sam Houston State University is to prepare the best educators of all types in the state and nation,” said Stacey Edmonson, dean of the College of Education. “Continuing our national accreditation through NCATE and CAEP facilitates that goal in many ways, and we are proud of this distinction. The rigorous process of national external review for all of our educator preparation programs sends a strong message that our programs are among the very best not only at the regional and state levels, but at the national level as well.” 

Of Texas’s 150 eligible educator preparation programs, including 38 public and 86 total four-year universities, only 16 have NCATE accredited education programs. Within the Texas State University System, only SHSU and Lamar are accredited by NCATE.

SHSU is the oldest teacher training institution in the state of Texas with approved teacher education programs. The Educator Preparation Program in the College of Education includes initial programs (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate) and advanced (graduate) programs aligned to national and state standards. The programs instruct and prepare pre-K through 16 teachers, counselors, administrators, librarians, reading specialists, and educational diagnosticians. Through collaborative instruction, field experience, and research, candidates develop a strong instructional foundation in their chosen field of study, according to Edmonson.

“The processes for achieving national and state accreditation also increase our capacity for continuous growth and improvement, including collaborative opportunities among faculty, students, school district partners, and administrators,” Edmonson said. “These are the types of efforts that allow us to prepare the highest quality educators who impact not only today’s learners, but learners of the future as well.”

Through this accreditation, the college will be able to continue their mission of providing all students with opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, strategies, and experiences which allow them to serve in diverse roles and function productively in society.

“Our faculty and staff are committed to excellence, and this designation is an important recognition of that commitment,” said Edmonson.

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