- What Is NCATE? NCATE is the "National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education."
- What Is Accreditation? According to NCATE, "accreditation" is "a process for assessing and enhancing academic and educational quality through voluntary peer review." NCATE accreditation informs the public that an institution has a Teacher Education Unit that has met rigorous state, professional and institutional standards of educational quality.
- Why NCATE? In fall 1999, the New York State Board of Regents mandated sweeping changes in teacher certification programs. In addition to New York State Education Department (NYSED) reregistry of all undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs, all teacher certification programs are required to be accredited by an outside agent that has been approved by NYSED. NCATE is a prestigious national accrediting body. SUNY Cortland offers some 61 undergraduate, graduate teacher certification programs and certificates of advanced study, making ours the largest teacher preparation institution in New York State. As leaders in the field, it makes good sense to strive for the highest national accreditation for the programs in our Teacher Education Unit.
- What Happens in the Accreditation Process? Make
no mistake about it: national accreditation involves many steps and much
effort, as does anything worth striving for. It requires a demonstration
of excellence across the Unit. Among the requirements are the following:
- The institution must first file an Intent to Seek NCATE Accreditation. Once this has been completed, the clock starts ticking.
- The institution develops a Conceptual Framework, an umbrella philosophy of teacher education that encompasses the beliefs of the entire Unit and is reflected in all teacher education programs, syllabi and course work within the Unit.
- In addition, adherence to NCATE Standards 2000, newly approved, must be demonstrated.
- Folios for teacher education programs that have national organization standards which have been approved by NCATE must be developed and a wealth of supporting documentation provided for each program. (This documentation is currently housed in 109 Old Main, our Documents Room.) Curriculum folios must be submitted to NCATE 18 months prior to the site visit by a Board of Examiners (BOE.)
- A Preconditions Document is submitted to NCATE 18 months prior to the site visit.
- The Unit of Governance must be determined and clarified, i.e., what institutional body is responsible for all teacher education issues?
- Area schools–teachers and administrators–must be invited to collaborate on teacher education issues of the institution.
- The Unit must demonstrate accountability in all areas that affect teacher education–e.g., eligibility to enter the teacher education program, curriculum, collaboration between Arts and Sciences and teacher education faculty, the ability of teacher education candidates to successfully teach classes in their discipline, diversity, etc.
- Multiple forms of assessment, with strong emphasis on outcomes-based assessment, of teacher education candidates and teacher education programs must be demonstrated, and data obtained must be used to improve teacher education programs.
- Sufficient resources must be committed to successfully run teacher education programs.
- Prior to the BOE site visit, the institution must publicly announce the intent to seek NCATE accreditation and the impending visit by the BOE.
- An Exhibits Room is set up to display and highlight teacher education program documentation.
- In addition, an Institutional Report must be submitted to NCATE sixty days prior to the site visit.
- Within sixty days of the site visit and after the Institutional Report (IR) has been submitted, an NCATE team makes a previsit.
- The NCATE BOE makes a site visit, which takes place Saturday through Wednesday.
- The BOE makes its report within thirty days of the visit.
- If necessary, the institution responds to the BOE report, within thirty days from receipt of the report.
- Having received approval on all counts, the institution receives NCATE accreditation. The entire process usually takes three years to complete.
- Where Is Cortland in the Process? On July 20, 2000, SUNY Cortland filed the Intent to Seek NCATE Accreditation form. Teacher Education Program Coordinators are currently in the process of revising and reflecting upon their programs. This is an opportunity to update, enhance and enrich existing programs, as well as to develop new teacher education programs. The Unit consists of all teacher education programs on the Cortland campus–across the board. WE ARE ONE. Our Teacher Education Committee (TEC) is the governing body for the Unit. Through that body important discussions of all aspects of teacher education take place. A Conceptual Framework Committee has completed a final draft of the Unit philosophy. And much invaluable collaboration has begun to take place among colleagues across the campus. The NCATE BOE site visit is scheduled for March 20 - 24, 2004.
- Who Is Involved in the NCATE Accreditation Process? We are all involved in the process in some way. Every office, from Administration to Admissions to Registrar to Financial Aid to the Library; every college faculty member who teaches content, General Education, or pedagogy courses; every committee that impacts teacher education; every teacher education candidate; every area school that accepts our candidates for field placement or student teaching–we are all participants in the NCATE process. Together we strive for programming excellence in teacher education.
- Where Can I Learn More About NCATE? If you are interested in obtaining more information about the Conceptual Framework Draft, a timeline of NCATE/NYSED activities, teacher education research information, (or in viewing the NYSED undergraduate and graduate teacher education program documents that were approved for reregistry,) feel free to stop by Van Hoesen, Room B-232 Monday through Friday, or contact Linda Simmons, (607) 753-2804.
For further information about NCATE, visit the web site at ncate.org