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WASHINGTON – The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced today that the Alcorn State University School of Education and Psychology is one of 55 providers from 28 states and the United Arab Emirates to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs. The Fall 2022 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 55 educator preparation providers receiving accreditation, bringing the total to 507 providers approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards – rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to 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 CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”

CAEP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. More than 600 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including some previously accredited through former standards.

“As our state and nation continue to experience shortages for educators, we are extremely proud of the work that our School of Education and Psychology does to remedy the pipeline challenge,” said Dr. Felecia M. Nave, president of Alcorn State University. “Through this accreditation, our programs continue to produce quality graduates that are prepared at the highest standards and who are workforce ready.”

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of the CAEP 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.
If a program fails to meet one of the standards, it is placed on probation for two years. Probation may be lifted in two years if a program provides evidence that it meets the standard.

In 2015, Alcorn was the first HBCU in the nation and the only institution of higher learning in Mississippi to be accredited by CAEP. Earlier this year, the school completed its CAEP Reaffirmation virtual onsite visit, which included — a self-study report that categorized evidence aligned with CAEP standards, a formative peer review examined the quality and depth of the evidence, and a site visit by the peer review team. The peer review team distinguished the extent to which evidence supported and met CAEP accreditation standards, including any strengths or weaknesses.

“As a result of the review, it has been proven again that the Alcorn State University School of Education and Psychology Teacher Education Program continues to provide rigorous educator preparation programs by receiving full accreditation with no noted stipulations or areas for improvement from CAEP,” said Dr. LaShundia Carson, dean of the School of Education and Psychology. “Our faculty have worked hard to set a very high bar and the students should be especially proud of their work and the validation of the high standard of our program.”

“Our School of Education and Psychology’s successful CAEP reaffirmation visit is a testament to the quality faculty and staff we have in the School,” said Dr. Ontario Wooden, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. I would like to thank Dean LaShundia Carson, who served as the coordinator for the reaffirmation onsite visit, and Dr. Malinda Butler, retired dean of the School of Education and Psychology, along with the faculty, staff, and students for their persistence and dedication to this process.”

Alcorn State University joins 54 other providers to receive accreditation this fall, bringing the total number to 507 CAEP-accredited providers from 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Class of Fall 2022:

Al Ain University—United Arab Emirates

Albertus Magnus College—Connecticut

Alcorn State University—Mississippi

Central Connecticut University

Christian Brothers University—Tennessee

East Carolina University—North Carolina

East Stroudsburg University—Pennsylvania

Elon University—North Carolina

Fayetteville State University—North Carolina

Ferrum College—Virginia

Florida Atlantic University

Frostburg State University—Maryland

George Washington University—District of Columbia

Georgia Southern University

Grace College—Indiana

Hollins University—Virginia

Keene State College—New Hampshire

Liberty University—Virginia

Lindenwood University—Missouri

Lourdes University—Ohio

Martin University—Indiana

Minnesota State University—Moorhead

Mississippi State University

Missouri Western University

Mount Vernon Nazarene University—Ohio

North Carolina A & T State University

North Carolina Central University

North Carolina State University

Northwest Nazarene University—Idaho

Notre Dame of Maryland University

Ohio Christian University

Oklahoma State University

Presbyterian College—South Carolina

Rowan University—New Jersey

Rutgers University-Newark—New Jersey

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Southeastern Louisiana University

Southwestern College—Kansas

SUNY Buffalo State—New York

Sweet Briar College—Virginia

The University of Memphis—Tennessee

The University of Michigan-Flint

The University of Mississippi

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

University of Connecticut

University of Montana-Missoula

University of Montevallo—Alabama

University of North Carolina Wilmington

University of Richmond—Virginia

University of South Carolina Beaufort

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Williams Baptist University—Arkansas

Winston-Salem State University—North Carolina

Wittenberg University—Ohio