The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced that UNC Pembroke is one of 34 providers to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs.

The fall 2023 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 34 educator preparation providers receiving accreditation, bringing the total to 551 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 graduation,” said CAEP President Dr. Christopher 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.

“Our faculty, staff and students should be very proud of this accomplishment and of the work they are doing to achieve this recognition,” said Dr. Zoe Locklear, interim dean of the School of Education. “We've set a very high bar for our educator preparation program and CAEP accreditation validates our hard work. Our students and their families are investing in an education program that is designated as nationally accredited for teacher preparation. This is a tremendous achievement for the UNCP Educator Preparation Program.”

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass a 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.