Joins 54 providers receiving accreditation


  Monday, December 12, 2022
  Awards and Recognitions

By News and Internal Communications

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) has announced that the UTRGV Educator Preparation Program is one of 55 providers from 28 states and the United Arab Emirates to receive accreditation for its educator preparation programs.

CAEP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement.

The Fall 2022 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 55 educator preparation providers receiving accreditation, bringing the total to 507 providers approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards, with rigorous, nationally recognized standards developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.  

UTRGV offers a university-based teacher preparation curriculum and graduate degrees designed to produce exemplary educators for the Rio Grande Valley, the nation and beyond. National accreditation was earned for the teacher preparation programs, for the Master of Arts in School Psychology and for the Superintendent Certification programs.

Dr. Alma Rodriguez, dean of the UTRGV College of Education and P-16 Integration, said faculty and staff should be very proud of the work they are doing and of this accomplishment.

“We’ve set a very high bar for our educator preparation program and CAEP Accreditation validates the hard work and commitment of our faculty, staff and students,” she said. “Our students are graduating from high quality programs that are designated as nationally accredited and are ready to enter the education profession.”

Dr. Janna Arney, UTRGV executive vice president and provost, said the College of Education and P-16 Integration continues to make a vital difference in preparing students for a career in education.

“We are proud to learn that our Educator Preparation Program has earned recognition and accreditation from CAEP, joining the ranks of other highly rated programs across the country,” Arney said. “The news showcases the dedication of our faculty and staff to making sure UTRGV’S future educators are fully prepared.”

CAEP is a unified accreditation system committed to elevating the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. More than 600 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation System, including some previously accredited through former standards.

“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.”

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of CAEP standards, which are based on two principles:

  • Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators.
  • 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.

If a program fails to meet even one of the standards, it is placed on probation for two years. Probation may be lifted in two years if a program provides evidence that it meets the standard.  

 

ABOUT CAEP

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.

The UTRGV Educator Preparation Program joins 54 other providers to receive accreditation this fall, bringing the total number to 507 CAEP-accredited providers from 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates including high-caliber institutions like George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Rutgers University in New Jersey, and Notre Dame of Maryland University.



ABOUT UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.

UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.