School of Education wins NCATE reaccreditation

The National Council For Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has notified The University of North Carolina at Pembroke of the continued accreditation of its School of Education.

The renewal covers UNCP's initial and advanced teacher preparation levels for the next five years.

Chancellor Allen C. Meadors said NCATE reaccreditation along with "exemplary" rating for the third consecutive year by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction confirms that UNC Pembroke's teacher education is truly one of the two best, if not the best, education program in the state of North Carolina.

"NCATE reaccreditation is an important milestone for our education program," Chancellor Meadors said. "It is the stamp of approval for all teacher education programs."

"This leaves little doubt that our School of Education is among the nation's finest and most successful," he said. "Coupled with the state's highest ranking and the school's phenomenal growth (77 percent increase in students seeking licensure over the last three years), I have nothing but praise for our faculty, administration and students."

Interim Dean of the School of Education Dr. Warren Baker said preparation for the accreditation visit began over two years ago and the positive outcome is a reflection of the commitment and dedication of faculty and staff.

"It's an ongoing process that comprehensively reviews every detail of our teacher education program," Dr. Baker said. "Accreditation forces us to look at what we are doing, to assess our programs and to stay abreast of the latest developments in teacher training."

"This reflects the high quality of our programs and faculty, both in the School of Education and across campus in the arts and sciences," he said. "I would like to thank NCATE coordinator Dr. Sharon Sharpe, who kept us focused and on task."

NCATE standards look at teaching candidates knowledge and skills; institutional assessment and evaluation; field and clinical experiences provided for students; diversity in the teacher education program; faculty qualifications; resources the university commits to the program; student's performance on national examinations and retention in the profession.

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as the professional accrediting body for colleges and universities that prepare teachers and other professional personnel for work in elementary and secondary schools.

Currently, 550 institutions are accredited and more than 100 others are candidates and pre-candidates for accreditation. The number of candidates for accreditation has almost tripled in the past five years, due to the growing demand for accountability from states and the public, and the number of accredited institutions has risen steadily.

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