The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) Education Department is proud to announce that it recently achieved accreditation under the performance-oriented standards of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the organization responsible for professional accreditation of teacher education.

Studies show that teacher quality is the most important factor in P–12 student achievement, but how do we know that our children’s teachers enter the classroom ready to help them learn? Professional accreditation is one way to ensure the public that schools of education are graduating well-qualified teachers ready for today’s classrooms. By achieving accreditation, the SMWC Education Department has proven its commitment to producing quality teachers for our nation’s children.

“The Education Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is comprised of faculty members who are current in their fields and dedicated to their students. It is gratifying when an external body, such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education recognizes the superb quality of the program,” said Dottie King, vice president for academic affairs at SMWC. “I congratulate and commend the members of the Education Department and the full faculty of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College for continuing to meet the high standards set forth by NCATE. Our education students and graduates should feel proud and confident in knowing that their preparation for the teaching role is thorough, relevant, and current!”

NCATE currently accredits 623 institutions which produce two-thirds of the nation’s new teacher graduates each year. Ninety-nine institutions are candidates or pre-candidates for accreditation.

NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards set by the profession and members of the public. Teacher candidates must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they plan to teach as well as the skills necessary to convey it so that students learn. The college or university must carefully assess this knowledge and skill to determine that candidates may graduate. The institution must have partnerships with P-12 schools that enable candidates to develop the skills necessary to help students learn. Candidates must be prepared to understand and work with diverse student populations. College and university faculty must model effective teaching practices. And the school, college, or department of education must have the resources, including information technology resources, necessary to prepare candidates to meet new standards.

NCATE revises its standards every five years to incorporate best practice and research in order to ensure that the standards reflect a consensus about what is important in teacher preparation today. In the past decade, NCATE has moved from an accreditation system that focused on curriculum and what teacher candidates were offered, to a data-driven performance-based system dedicated to determining what candidates know and are able to do. The new system expects teacher preparation institutions to provide compelling evidence of candidate knowledge and skill in the classroom. Multiple types of performance assessment are expected throughout the program of study. Candidate qualifications are assessed upon entry, and candidate competence is assessed throughout the program as well as prior to student teaching/internship work, and before completion of the program.

Meeting NCATE accreditation standards also helps institutions prepare new teachers for new, more rigorous licensing standards in many states. NCATE accreditation standards incorporate the model state licensing principles developed by a task force of the Council of Chief State School Officers.

“NCATE accreditation is an outward sign of the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College community's dedication to prepare teacher candidates to support the full potential of all children,” said Sonja Frantz, chair of the SMWC Education Department and associate professor of education. “The faculty, both full-time and adjunct, staff and administration are to be commended for their tireless commitment to the study and implementation of exemplary educational practices that ultimately benefit children and families.”

The mission of the Education Department is to prepare competent, caring, professional educators who are able to meet the needs of a diverse society. The education program provides teacher candidates with a solid understanding of the subject matter areas that they will teach, a wide variety of field experiences through which they develop and practice teaching skills, and many opportunities to demonstrate their impact on student learning. Within a moral framework, educators learn to be reflective, lifelong learners who are able to communicate effectively and demonstrate dedication and commitment to the teaching profession.

Students can pursue a degree in education through the College’s undergraduate campus-based program or the undergraduate distance learning program. Teacher licensure programs are also available for men and women who already have a regionally accredited undergraduate degree, and the College offers a one-year Master of Education program.

The Education Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202) 466-7496. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs. NCATE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel.

The U. S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as a specialized accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education. NCATE is composed of more than 30 professional and policymaker organizations representing millions of Americans committed to quality teaching. It was founded in 1954 by the teaching profession and the states. NCATE continues its mission today: the profession and the states working together for excellence in teacher preparation and development.

For more information about SMWC’s teacher education programs, please call the Office of Admission at (800) 926-SMWC, email smwcadms@smwc.edu, or visit us online at www.smwc.edu. More information about NCATE is available at www.ncate.org.