Bluffton University was recently named one of 46 providers from across the country to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs.

Just 147 total providers have been approved under the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) teacher preparation standards—rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.
 
“Our students, alumni and faculty should be proud of the work they are doing. We’ve set a very high bar for our teacher prep program and CAEP Accreditation validates the hard work we are doing,” said Dr. Gayle Trollinger, Bluffton’s education department chair.

“Our students and their families are investing in an education program that is designated as nationally accredited for teacher preparation.”
 
Bluffton University provides educator preparation programs at the baccalaureate and master’s degree level that are:
 1.    Approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education
2.    Include a minimum of 12 weeks of full-time pre-service field experience
3.    Provide pedagogical coursework or assistance in the provision of such coursework
 
“These institutions meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate,” said CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”
 
CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement.

CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. It is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. Currently, more than 800 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including many previously accredited through former standards.
 
Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles:
• Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators, and
• Solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer
 
If a program fails to meet one of the five standards or required components under the standards, it is placed on probation for two years. Probation may be lifted in two years if a program provides evidence that it meets the standard. Bluffton received full accreditation without any areas for improvement or stipulations.
 
In spring 2018, three providers had their accreditation revoked.
 
Photo: Morganne Faler, a senior early childhood education and intervention specialist double major, works with students from Bluffton Elementary School. Bluffton’s education department was recently reaccredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for excellence in educator preparation.