School of Schooling earns accreditation
For the past four years, an average of 239 University of North Georgia (UNG) students per year completed the College of Education (COE) Educator Preparation Program to become kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. For the past two years, teachers in a K-12 classroom have been accompanied by a professional educator.
This intense clinical experience combined with a professional development community in a cohort-like program is designed to prepare UNG students for class. In November, the COE received its national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
“We have met all of the standards and sub-standards set by CAEP,” said Dr. Sheri Hardee, Dean of the COE. “It’s important because it shows that our programs have a degree of rigor, and it’s our national seal of approval.”
Following the accreditation, the COE achieved level 4 or exemplary in the measures for the effectiveness of the preparatory program (PPEM).
Developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC), PPEM includes a performance-based assessment of teacher candidates, the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE), a class teacher assessment system, an employer survey, and an end-of-year teacher survey .
UNG was the fifth largest program in the state to receive a 4, which is the highest possible rating based on 222 graduates graded by PPEM. More information on UNG’s ranking can be found on the GAPSC website.
Acquiring accreditation for 15 COE programs was an eight year process. A full list of the audited teacher preparation programs can be found on the UNG accreditation and reporting website.
Faculty and staff collected and analyzed data on the programs. This also included interviews with external community partners of the COE, such as school principals, overseers and mentors.
