Ohio Wesleyan Earns National Accreditation for Caliber of Programs to Educate Tomorrow’s Elementary, Middle, Secondary School Teachers
(Image courtesy of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education)
DELAWARE, OHIO – Ohio Wesleyan University’s Department of Education has earned continuing accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
The renewed accreditation indicates that Ohio Wesleyan’s teacher-education programs meet the “rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community,” according to Washington, D.C.-based NCATE. These standards include ensuring that teacher-candidates graduate with an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they plan to teach as well as the skills necessary to convey the material so that their students learn.
In addition, NCATE-accredited colleges and universities must carefully assess each teacher-candidate’s knowledge; create partnerships with elementary, middle, and secondary schools that enable teacher-candidates to develop their skills; prepare the teacher-candidates to understand and work with diverse student populations; model effective teaching practices; and have the resources, including information technology resources, necessary to prepare the teacher-candidates to meet new standards.
Ohio Wesleyan first earned NCATE accreditation in 2006 after preparing for its accreditation review for five years. The university will be reviewed again in 2018. The national accreditation is in addition to State of Ohio accreditation also earned by Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Education.
Paula M. White, Ph.D., chair of the department, said NCATE accreditation provides a “seal of approval” of sorts, indicating that Ohio Wesleyan is providing the high-quality preparation needed to create successful teachers.
“In general, teacher candidates who earn degrees from NCATE-accredited schools are well-prepared to obtain their initial licensing as well as any advanced board certification,” White said. “In addition, the teacher-candidates benefit from efficiencies in application procedures should they move out of state. Most states have reciprocity agreements for graduates of NCATE-accredited schools.”
NCATE currently accredits 656 institutions, which collectively produce two-thirds of the nation’s new teacher graduates each year. Seventy institutions are candidates or pre-candidates for accreditation.
The U. S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as a specialized accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education. NCATE is composed of more than 33 professional and policymaker organizations representing millions of Americans committed to quality teaching. It was founded in 1954 by the teaching profession and the states. For more information about NCATE, visit www.ncate.org.
Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities, with more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Located in Delaware, Ohio, just minutes north of Ohio’s capital and largest city, Columbus, the university combines a globally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that translate classroom theory into real-world practice. OWU’s close-knit community of 1,850 students represents 47 states and 57 countries. Ohio Wesleyan was named to the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction, is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” and is included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.