Ammon School of Education Earns NCATE Reaccreditation Through 2019

by Cecil Harris

The Ruth S. Ammon School of Education at Adelphi University has again met the exacting criteria established by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and earned its reaccreditation through 2019. On July 1, 2013, NCATE became the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

“National accreditation for the Ammon School of Education is an external validation of the direction, depth and breadth of our programs, the quality of opportunities for students and the commitment of faculty to prepare future teachers and educational leaders at the highest levels of accomplishment and integrity,” said Robert A. Scott, Ph.D., president of Adelphi University.

The Ammon School of Education comprises three departments—Curriculum and Instruction; Communication Sciences and Disorders; and Exercise Science, Health Studies, Physical Education and Sport Management—and more than 60 unique programs of study.

“The continuing national accreditation for the Ruth S. Ammon School of Education affirms that our rigorous preparation programs and the intensive clinical experiences we require of our students meet national standards for teacher and leader education,” said Jane Ashdown, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education. “This accomplishment reflects the dedicated teamwork of our faculty, our students, our support staff and our partner P-12 schools and reflects our commitment to a quality assurance process designed to ensure that all children experience effective teaching and learning in our schools.”

In his letter to Dr. Scott, CAEP president James G. Cibulka wrote, “I am pleased to inform you that the Unit Accreditation Board, at its April 21–24, 2013 meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, decided to continue the accreditation of the School of Education at Adelphi University at the initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation levels. This accreditation decision indicates that the unit and its programs meet rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community.”

The next accreditation visit for the School of Education is scheduled for Fall 2019. The visit will take place under the auspices of CAEP, the sole accrediting agency for educator preparation in the United States.

According to CAEP’s guidelines, the agency seeks to “ensure that educator preparation providers prepare and graduate future teachers who know the content of the subject(s) they will teach, know how to teach that content effectively to students from diverse groups, and demonstrate their positive impact on P-12 student learning in diverse school settings. CAEP will ensure that other school professionals have the knowledge and skills to support the academic and social development of all students.”