AACTE Board Subcommittee on CAEP: May Update
The AACTE Board of Directors subcommittee formed to engage in conversation with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) convened May 5 for its first meeting. All committee members were present: Chair Renée A. Middleton (Ohio University), Jane Bray (Old Dominion University, VA), David Cherry (Whitworth University, WA), John Jacobson (Ball State University, IN), and Carol Vukelich (University of Delaware), as well as Board Chair Mark Ginsberg (George Mason University, VA) and AACTE Vice President Rodrick Lucero.
To start the meeting, Middleton invited Ginsberg to formally address the committee’s charge and scope of work. Ginsberg stated that AACTE continues to recognize and support CAEP as the single accrediting body for educator preparation programs. He reiterated that the committee was established to engage with the CAEP leadership to address concerns stated in the February AACTE Board of Directors resolution, which reflected ongoing communication from AACTE member institutions with respect to CAEP.
Middleton and Ginsberg also referenced their April 14 blog updating readers on AACTE’s work related to the resolution. They noted that while CAEP Board of Directors Chair Mary Brabeck introduced other issues in her response to the blog, this committee would continue to focus on the five areas stated in AACTE’s resolution: (1) standards, (2) process, (3) implementation, (4) representativeness in governance, and (5) cost.
Asked to prioritize the five areas of work, committee members identified the top two as CAEP Standards 3 and 4 and AACTE’s representation in the CAEP governance structure. To inform this work, AACTE member institutions soon will be asked to participate in a quick survey to gather feedback with respect to the focus areas. Committee members also agreed that their first priority will be to meet with CAEP leadership and that ongoing engagement with CAEP is essential to ensure a collaborative conversation that is supportive and constructive to both parties.
The committee asked Ginsberg to reach out to the CAEP leadership to determine the feasibility of scheduling a meeting to take place during AACTE’s Washington Week. This would give the committee an opportunity to begin a face-to-face dialogue with CAEP around the initially identified priority areas, as well as around the resolution as a whole, and to reaffirm AACTE’s support for CAEP as the single, unified professional accreditation system for educator preparation programs.
AACTE is committed to a strong quality assurance process and to high accreditation standards—and to supporting member institutions in meeting them. In addition to our work with CAEP, we are also working with the HigherEdLearning Consulting Group to develop a series of online courses that will aid members in preparing for accreditation. More information about this service will be announced soon.
The AACTE subcommittee on CAEP meets again May 19. Stay tuned to Ed Prep Matters for continuing updates on the work and progress of the committee on your behalf.
Tags: AACTE governance, AACTE partner organizations, accreditation
