ESU Teachers College up for NCATE review
National accreditation means much in higher education. It is a mark of distinction that shows potential students a university is committed to upholding the highest standards in its field.
Getting accreditation can be a long, laborious process. The ESU School of Business spent the better part of a decade preparing for its recent approval by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Keeping accreditation is no easier, said Phil Bennett, associate dean of The Teachers College at ESU.
Bennett has been an examiner for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education since 1994. This summer, he has been put in charge of preparing for the Council's November review of The Teachers College. NCATE visits its member institutions every seven years.
This month, Bennett is asking teachers and administrators in Emporia, Olathe and Topeka - where ESU student teachers are most often placed - to send NCATE candid comments about the quality of ESU students.
According to Bennett, NCATE has expanded its requirements over the years to take into account the ability of education graduates to convey what they've learned to their own students. The Council also looks at the "disposition" of students, which includes factors such as professional behavior and attitude toward diversity.
"It used to be that if a required topic was listed on a syllabus, that was all NCATE needed. Now, not only does the topic have to be on a piece of paper, NCATE wants to know if it is being taught and if students can demonstrate that they've learned it," he said.
NCATE requires institutions to show excellence not only in how well students are prepared, but also in the quality of student evaluation, field teaching programs, exposure to diverse classroom settings, faculty performance and the overall administration of the education program.
On November 1, NCATE will send to ESU five examiners who will be joined by four representatives of the Kansas State Department of Education. The team will fan out across campus and in the community to speak with current and former students, area teachers and principals, and faculty from all departments on campus.
"Teachers education is very high on the priority list here - not only in The Teachers College, but all over campus," said Bennett. "The College of Arts and Science, the School of Library and Information Management, the School of Business all have teacher education programs and all have helped put our data together for the review."
By November 5, the team will report its findings to the university president, education dean and other top administrators. An official report follows 30 days later. The NCATE Unit Accreditation Board will not vote on the status of ESU's accreditation until its biannual meeting in April.
If The Teachers College fails to meet any of NCATE's six standards, the College could be placed on probation and perhaps eventually lose its accreditation. Since state accreditation in Kansas is linked to the NCATE decision, probation can affect the future of the College's entire teacher education program. The Board can issue another rating called "accreditation with conditions," which is not as serious as probation, said Bennett. It is rare for an institution to pass an NCATE review without examiners noting some areas for improvement, he added.
Bennett is confident about ESU chances of retaining its NCATE accreditation. "The quality of our program speaks well about our ability to do well in November."
Send your comments about ESU student teachers or education graduates to the following address: Board of Examiners, NCATE, 2010 Massachussetts Ave., Washington, D.C. 20036-1023. All letters must be signed.
Last Updated July 2, 2007>