Discussing the successful NCATE accreditation review for the ASU College of Education are (from left) Dr. Don Maness, associate dean; Dr. Mitch Holifield, chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Special Education; and Dr. Veda McClain, chair of the Department of Teacher Education.

While the notice is important to ASU, it is even more significant to the school children whose teachers complete their classroom preparation at ASU. Graduates of a program with proven quality make better teachers. 

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) reviewed the College of Education thoroughly before reaching its decision. The importance of teacher quality cannot be understated, according to Dr. John Beineke, dean of the college. Studies consistently demonstrate the strong relationship between teacher quality and student achievement in grades K-12. NCATE review and accreditation is a very effective way to ensure the public that colleges of education, like ASU's, are preparing and graduating well-qualified teachers. In fact, the Arkansas Legislature mandates that schools of education earn NCATE accreditation.

"Arkansas State University's College of Education has once again proven its commitment to producing quality teachers by achieving accreditation under NCATE's performance-oriented standards," he announced. "I congratulate the faculty and staff who have worked so hard for this achievement." ASU's accreditation is effective for another five years. By achieving successful periodic reviews, the College of Education has held NCATE accreditation since 1954.

Dr. Don Maness, associate dean, led the College of Education through the 18-month accreditation review process. While there were many pleasing aspects of the successful review, the benefit to K-12 education is the most significant. "The NCATE accreditation process and final accreditation results validates that ASU is producing quality teachers, counselors and administrators for Arkansas and the region we serve," Maness commented. 

NCATE institutions, like ASU, must have partnerships with K-12 schools so that teaching candidates can develop necessary skills. During the fall and spring semesters of the current academic year, ASU placed 317 teacher interns in area schools. Interviews with clinical supervisors, principals and superintendents at cooperating school sites provided the basis for several positive comments in the executive summary of the NCATE Board of Examiners Report. Teaching interns from ASU " . . . knew their content knowledge required for instruction" and they " . . . demonstrate high levels of professionalism and values consistent with roles in the schools," the report said. Teaching candidates also contribute to improvement in student achievement. 

Dr. Veda McClain, who is chair of the Department of Teacher Education, was highly involved in the successful effort to achieve accreditation renewal. "While preparing for the NCATE review process was intense, it was well worth the effort," she said. "I am pleased that we were able to meet all of the standards, especially with regard to the diversity standard. The faculty and administrators at ASU have put forth tremendous effort in making sure that our students are prepared to meet the needs of tomorrow's students." 

While ASU graduates teach throughout the broad region the university serves, the College of Education's impact in Arkansas is further illustrated by the statistics. According to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, ASU has for many years ranked first in the number of candidates who completed a teacher education degree. The total was 289 during the 2001-02 year, the most recent year for which data is available. 

Dr. Mitchell Holifield, chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Special Education, says ASU places great importance on accreditation because of the vitally important message it sends to parents, to schools, and the public. "Going through the accreditation process is one of several ways that we constantly evaluate ourselves and our programs," he explained. "Being accredited is an important assurance to the schools and the public that our preparation programs do indeed meet national standards." NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards as set by the profession and members of the public. Teacher candidates must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they will be teaching, as well as the skills necessary to convey it effectively to students in their classrooms. 

The College of Education also must have the resources, including information technology resources, necessary to prepare candidates to meet new standards. Another way NCATE continues to challenge its accredited schools is to revise its standards every five years, incorporating best practices and research in order to ensure that current standards reflect a consensus about what is important in teacher preparation. NCATE currently accredits 554 institutions, which produce more than 125,000 new teachers each year, or about two-thirds of the nation's new teacher graduates. More than 100 institutions are in the process of seeking NCATE accreditation.

During the past decade, NCATE has moved to a data-driven performance-based system dedicated to determining what candidates know and what they are able to do. The new system expects teacher preparation institutions like ASU to provide compelling evidence of the candidates' knowledge and skill in the classroom. Teacher candidates' qualifications are assessed upon entry to the program, and competence is assessed throughout their program. 

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as the professional accrediting body for schools, departments, and colleges of education. On-site visits, document review, and accreditation decisions are all carried out by professionals from the education community, including teachers, school specialists, members of the public, and education policy makers. For more details about Arkansas State University's College of Education, visit the web site at http://mutans.astate.edu/education/. The NCATE web site is http://www.ncate.org. # # # -- This and other releases are online at http://ASUnews.astate.edu

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