Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
Name	Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
Abbreviation	CAEP
Formation	2013
Predecessor	National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	President
Leader name	Christopher A. Koch

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation is a United States-based nonprofit organization that accredits teacher preparation programs and educator preparation providers. It evaluates professional preparation quality, establishes accreditation standards, and awards recognition used by institutions, state agencies, and professional bodies. CAEP’s activities interact with federal and state policymaking, higher education institutions, teacher unions, and certification authorities.

History

The organization emerged from a reform movement involving the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and stakeholders including the U.S. Department of Education, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and foundations such as the Gates Foundation. Its founding reflects debates represented in forums like the National Academy of Sciences and policy reports from the Institute of Education Sciences and the Government Accountability Office. Early governance drew expertise from leaders associated with institutions like Teachers College, Columbia University, University of Michigan, Stanford University, and Vanderbilt University. High-profile critics and proponents ranged from figures connected to the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association to scholars published in journals such as the Harvard Educational Review and the Educational Researcher.

Accreditation Standards and Processes

CAEP’s standards address program outcomes, clinical practice, candidate performance, and continuous improvement, intersecting with credentialing processes used by entities like the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and state certification agencies including the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the Texas Education Agency. The accreditation process uses data reporting influenced by measures from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, assessments developed at centers like the ETS and ACT, Inc., and performance indicators discussed in reports by the Brookings Institution and the American Institutes for Research. Peer review teams often include faculty from institutions such as Boston College, University of Texas at Austin, University of Chicago, and University of Pennsylvania and draw on technical standards promulgated by organizations like the Association of American Universities and the Council of Graduate Schools.

Governance and Organizational Structure

CAEP’s governance includes a Board of Directors, standing committees, and review panels, with leaders historically connected to organizations like the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Spencer Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Administrative offices collaborate with accrediting bodies such as the Higher Learning Commission, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Advisory voices have included representatives from the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and policy centers at Harvard University and Georgetown University. The organizational model mirrors governance practices seen at entities like the American Council on Education and the Association of American Universities.

Impact and Criticism

Proponents cite alignment with accountability trends advanced by reports from the U.S. Department of Education and research by the RAND Corporation, arguing CAEP influences program improvement at institutions such as Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Washington, and Indiana University. Critics include scholars and associations associated with AACTE and commentators publishing in outlets like the Chronicle of Higher Education and the New York Times, questioning reliance on standardized metrics and implications for academic autonomy at liberal arts colleges such as Amherst College and Swarthmore College. Debates reference policy arenas like the Every Student Succeeds Act and litigated matters involving entities comparable to the Department of Justice in other accreditation disputes. Evaluations of CAEP’s methods have been cited in studies from the National Education Policy Center, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Center for American Progress.

Membership and Accredited Institutions

CAEP accredits educator preparation programs at a broad range of institutions, including public universities like the University of California, Los Angeles, University of Florida, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; private research universities such as Columbia University, Duke University, and Northwestern University; and regional colleges like Appalachian State University and James Madison University. Membership and recognition often interact with state licensure systems like the New York State Education Department and professional certifications from organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association and the Council for Exceptional Children. Institutional listings and decisions have been discussed in media outlets including the Wall Street Journal and specialized publications like Education Week.

International Activities and Partnerships

CAEP has engaged in international dialogues with accrediting and professional bodies like the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, the International Task Force on Teaching Quality, and national agencies in countries such as Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and Singapore. Partnerships involve comparative work with institutions such as the University of Melbourne, the University of Toronto, University College London, and organizations including the UNESCO and the OECD on teacher professional standards. Collaborative projects include cross-national research initiatives similar to those hosted by the Comparative and International Education Society and capacity-building programs funded by foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

Category:Educational accreditation organizations in the United States