College of Education Among First in N.J. to Receive New National Accreditation

Kean University has received the gold seal of approval for its educator preparation programs. The College of Education received national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), reinforcing its commitment to excellence in teacher training.

Kean is one of three universities in New Jersey and 46 educator prep providers from 22 states and Puerto Rico to meet CAEP’s rigorous standards in the Spring 2018 review and one of 147 universities and colleges throughout the nation currently with CAEP accreditation.

“This accreditation means that Kean will continue to train New Jersey’s best teachers, consistent with our legacy as a teachers’ college,” said Anthony A. Pittman, Ph.D., acting dean of the College of Education. “As the largest producer of teachers in New Jersey, Kean has always been the leader in providing quality educator training for the state, and this endorsement by CAEP speaks to the caliber of our programs and stellar faculty and staff.”

Created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation.

“These providers 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 Christopher A. Koch, Ed.D., president of CAEP.  “Seeking CAEP accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”

CAEP’s accreditation pushes educator preparation programs to continually self-assess and conduct evidence-based analysis of their programs and their efficacy. Kean’s College of Education is actively implementing innovative practices to promote outstanding student outcomes to further demonstrate the University’s commitment to CAEP’s exacting standards.

For Kean students, the CAEP accreditation has significant career implications.

“Our students can take the education and training that they receive at Kean anywhere across the country,” said Pittman. “The quality of their preparation will not be questioned, because CAEP is a national endorsement and the industry standard for teacher licensure.”

In receiving CAEP accreditation, Kean University’s College of Education passed peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles — solid evidence that Kean’s graduates are competent and caring educators; and solid evidence that Kean’s faculty and staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the College’s professional programs.