School of Education receives reaccredidation
The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GPSC) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has reaccredited the School of Education. The accreditation was announced to the university on March 21.
Dr. Linda Irwin-DeVitis, dean of the School of Education, said she is very proud of the reaccredidation.
"In order to be accredited, it means that we must meet very high standards," Irwin-DeVitis said.
Irwin-DeVitis said reaccredidation is largely based on the success of the school's students.
"The key thing is how the students perform on exit exams," she said.
The students in the School of Education have been earning high scores, Irwin-DeVitis said.
"A score of 80 percent on the Praxis exam along with many other things are what is required for accreditation. We have 94 percent score," Irwin-DeVitis said.
Irwin-DeVitis said she is also proud that the School of Education has been continuously reaccredited for 50 years.
"NCATE has been an accrediting body for 51 years, and we have been accredited for 50 of those, so we are in a pretty elite group," Irwin-DeVitis said.
NCATE is the accrediting body on the national level and GPSC is the accrediting body on the state level. The two groups converged to make a team of nine, and they evaluated the School of Education for five days in late October, Irwin-DeVitis said.
"GPSC and NCATE became partners because they look primarily at the same standards," Irwin-DeVitis said.
The School of Education is not the only one that was involved with the process.
"The process heavily includes Arts and Science faculty and also Music and Physical Education faculty members. It really involves the whole university and we couldn't have done it without their support," Irwin-DeVitis said.
The reaccredidation process has traditionally occurred every five years, but that has recently been changed to every seven years, Dr. Carol Bader, assistant dean of the School of Education said.
Dr. Linda Irwin-DeVitis, dean of the School of Education, said she is very proud of the reaccredidation.
"In order to be accredited, it means that we must meet very high standards," Irwin-DeVitis said.
Irwin-DeVitis said reaccredidation is largely based on the success of the school's students.
"The key thing is how the students perform on exit exams," she said.
The students in the School of Education have been earning high scores, Irwin-DeVitis said.
"A score of 80 percent on the Praxis exam along with many other things are what is required for accreditation. We have 94 percent score," Irwin-DeVitis said.
Irwin-DeVitis said she is also proud that the School of Education has been continuously reaccredited for 50 years.
"NCATE has been an accrediting body for 51 years, and we have been accredited for 50 of those, so we are in a pretty elite group," Irwin-DeVitis said.
NCATE is the accrediting body on the national level and GPSC is the accrediting body on the state level. The two groups converged to make a team of nine, and they evaluated the School of Education for five days in late October, Irwin-DeVitis said.
"GPSC and NCATE became partners because they look primarily at the same standards," Irwin-DeVitis said.
The School of Education is not the only one that was involved with the process.
"The process heavily includes Arts and Science faculty and also Music and Physical Education faculty members. It really involves the whole university and we couldn't have done it without their support," Irwin-DeVitis said.
The reaccredidation process has traditionally occurred every five years, but that has recently been changed to every seven years, Dr. Carol Bader, assistant dean of the School of Education said.
Bader said the visit from GPSC and NCATE was extremely intense.
"It's a very grueling process," Bader said. "They look and go talk to partner schools, they talk to community leaders, they talk to program directors, they talk to students. Every constituent, every stake holder that has anything to do with making a teacher, they want to get input, so it is quite involved."
Although the process of reaccredidation is strenuous, it is very important, freshman and Early Childhood Education major Jennifer Black said.
"Reaccredidation is important because my degree is worth more and it's nice to know when I get a job they will take note that I went to a good school," Black said.
Bader said that not only is the accreditation itself is valuable, but the process itself is beneficial to the school's programs.
"Schools in Georgia are mandated to be accredited. When you are evaluating your programs and seeing what is working well and what needs to improve, it causes reflection," Bader said, "It is a very stringent program, but it makes a stellar program as opposed to a mediocre program."
"It's a very grueling process," Bader said. "They look and go talk to partner schools, they talk to community leaders, they talk to program directors, they talk to students. Every constituent, every stake holder that has anything to do with making a teacher, they want to get input, so it is quite involved."
Although the process of reaccredidation is strenuous, it is very important, freshman and Early Childhood Education major Jennifer Black said.
"Reaccredidation is important because my degree is worth more and it's nice to know when I get a job they will take note that I went to a good school," Black said.
Bader said that not only is the accreditation itself is valuable, but the process itself is beneficial to the school's programs.
"Schools in Georgia are mandated to be accredited. When you are evaluating your programs and seeing what is working well and what needs to improve, it causes reflection," Bader said, "It is a very stringent program, but it makes a stellar program as opposed to a mediocre program."
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