UCCS College of Education earns high marks, national accreditation

The teacher education programs in the College of Education at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs meet the highest standards for professionalism in teacher education, according to a team of evaluators for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

NCATE notified UCCS leaders this month of the results of a five-day on-site evaluation of the UCCS teacher education programs. The programs received a seven year accreditation, the highest level of accreditation possible.

“This accreditation decision indicates that the unit and its programs meet rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community,” La Vonne Neal, dean, College of Education, said. “I congratulate College of Education faculty, staff, students and our community advisory boards for displaying the high quality necessary to be granted national accreditation.”

NCATE currently accredits 623 institutions which are responsible for approximately two-thirds of the nation’s new teacher graduates each year.

NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards set by the teaching profession and members of the public. Teacher candidates must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter they teach as well as skills to convey it. Colleges and universities must demonstrate the ability to assess this knowledge and skills, have partnerships with P-12 schools, and demonstrate ability to prepare teacher candidates to work with diverse student populations.

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as a specialized accrediting body for schools, colleges and departments of education. It was founded in 1954 by the teaching profession and states working together for excellence in teacher preparation and development.