The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced last week that Midwestern State University is one of 52 providers from 27 states and Puerto Rico to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs.

Dr. Matthew Capps, Dean of the Gordon T. & Ellen West College of Education, said that attaining the accreditation is a demanding process that takes a great deal of cooperation with Wichita Falls ISD and Burkburnett ISD. "The experiences our students are able to receive in those schools really set them apart, and this was noted as part of the final site report," Capps said. Capps also said that the college received commendations for the working relationship it has with the other colleges within MSU Texas.

MSU is the only Texas school receiving national accreditation this year. "That happened with no areas for improvement and no stipulations, which is extremely rare," Capps said.

"We are not nationally accredited and therefore, produce good teachers," Capps said. "It is the other way around. We produce good teachers, and therefore, we are nationally accredited. Our faculty does a great job making sure our students are ready to enter the classroom. All of the planning, assessment, analysis, partnerships, evaluation, etc. that goes into producing high quality teachers results in national accreditation."

Capps said that the importance of national accreditation comes into play when students graduate and seek employment. "Being nationally accredited may not make much difference to a student but when they get hired, principals tell us it's like hiring a teacher with one year of experience already. That matters," Capps said.

The fall 2018 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 52 newly accredited educator prep providers, bringing the total to 196 providers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that are approved under the CAEP Teacher Preparation Standards - rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

"These institutions meet high standards so their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate," said CAEP President Christopher A. Koch. "Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider."

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles:

solid evidence that the provider's graduates are competent and caring educators; and solid evidence that the provider's educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.

CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. It is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. Currently, more than 800 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including many previously accredited through former standards.

Contact Capps by email or call 940-397-4138 for more information.