The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced that Claflin University is one of 60 providers from 26 states to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs. The Spring 2021 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 60 newly-accredited education preparation providers, bringing the total to 423 providers approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards – rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.
“This achievement is significant for Claflin University because the national endorsement by CAEP is the gold seal of approval for all of Claflin's teacher education programs,” said Dr. Anthony A. Pittman, dean of Claflin’s School of Education. “The support we received from Claflin President Dr. Dwaun Warmack, Provost Dr. Karl Wright, and other members of the campus community, including our district K-12 partners was critical to our success. We also appreciate the assistance and cooperation provided by the CAEP Site Visiting Team and the SC Department of Education. This accomplishment speaks well of our institution's commitment to high quality - second to none – academic programs,” said Pittman who began his tenure as dean in 2019.
CAEP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, 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. Approximately, 700 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system.
“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.”
“This accreditation is the successful culmination of a process that began back in fall 2016," said Wright, Claflin’s chief academic officer.“ This process confirmed the strength of Claflin’s mission of providing access to an affordable and exceptional educational experience, while constantly evolving to meet the national and global needs of 21st Century educators.”
The CAEP Board of Directors updated the educator preparation standards in 2020 as part of its commitment to reviewing the standards at least every seven years. The changes to the CAEP standards reflect the Board’s commitment to equity and diversity and place an emphasis on the importance of technology in preparing future educators.
“Among the recruitment strategies highlighted in our accreditation report was our Claflin University Bridges to Education (CUBE) Program,” Pittman said. “This is a partnership with South Carolina State University that focuses on recruiting prospective teacher education majors from high schools along the I-95 corridor. The goal of this initiative is to help diversify the teacher education pipeline for schools in rural and historically underserved communities.”
Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of the CAEP standards, which are based on 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.
“The impact of CAEP accreditation for our students means that the quality of their preparation for the teaching profession cannot be questioned nor second guessed; they will be able to secure positions as credentialed educators anywhere in the country,” Pittman said. “For our faculty, the accreditation is a testament to their dedication to producing education candidates of the highest caliber.”