Providing schools with quality teachers is an important maxim for the College of Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In recognition of its dedication to providing outstanding education to future teachers, school counselors and school administrators, the college this month earned accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, an organization responsible for professional accreditation of teacher education programs.
The accreditation assures students and employers that UMSL teacher candidates meet rigorous standards.
“The College of Education grants more education degrees than any other institution in the region, so this accreditation is important to convey the message that our graduates are not only plentiful, but exceptional,” UMSL Chancellor Thomas George said.
While visiting UMSL, members of the NCATE accreditation team interviewed students, faculty, administrators and school-based partners. They also visited classrooms and examined campus support facilities. The accreditation is for seven years and is not mandatory, but Charles Schmitz, dean of the college of education said the college holds itself to a high standard.
“We are working to assure that our students receive the highest quality education and to collect evidence of achieving that goal,” Schmitz said.
“NCATE accreditation means we constantly examine what we do, as well as how and why we do it, and authenticates our effectiveness.”
NCATE currently accredits 614 institutions, which provide two-thirds of the nation’s teacher graduates. NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards. Teacher candidates must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter they plan to teach as well as the skills necessary to convey this information to students.
The institution must have partnerships with schools that enable teacher candidates to develop the skills necessary to help students learn. It also must have the resources, including information technology resources, necessary to prepare these candidates. There are 2,358 students enrolled in the College of Education at UMSL.
The college features 85 full-time faculty, including 14 endowed professors. The college offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in several emphasis areas including two education specialist programs. It recently secured a six-year, $28 million grant to fund St. Louis In-Gear for Success (SLINGS), which is the largest single grant received by UMSL in its 42-year history. With additional funding from the more than 40 participating groups, the $60 million initiative aims to increase high school graduation and college enrollment rates in eight St. Louis-area school districts.
For information about NCATE, visit http://www.ncate.org. For information about the College of Education at UMSL, call (314) 516-5109 or visit http://coe.umsl.edu.
