Ouachita Baptist University’s Huckabee School of Education received its accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). To earn this accreditation, university education programs must meet nationally recognized standards that ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

“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 Dr. Christopher Koch, president of CAEP. “Seeking CAEP accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”

A CAEP team reviewed the department’s self-study and other materials prior to visiting Ouachita’s campus last March. After the team submitted its report to a national committee, faculty members completed the process in October at a Washington D.C. meeting with CAEP officials. CAEP then sent a letter to Ouachita President Ben Sells indicating that Ouachita’s teacher education program had met all standards.

“I am immensely proud of the outstanding work done by each member of the education faculty and of the quality of our students,” said Dr. Jeff Root, dean of the Huckabee School of Education. “It was truly a team effort to respond to the CAEP standards in the ever-changing field of education with clear evidence of the success of teacher education at Ouachita. The time devoted to this process and the positive spirit in which the work was done demonstrate the dedication of the faculty to their students and the field of education.”

CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council.

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles: solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators, and 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.

Ouachita’s Huckabee School joins 42 other providers that earned CAEP accreditation this fall. Overall, 101 preparation providers from 33 states and the District of Columbia have received CAEP accreditation.