Every five to seven years, the College of Education at the University of Maryland prepares for accreditation by the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Maryland Department of Education (MSDE). NCATE and the related state accreditation is the mechanism used by the education profession to help establish high quality teacher preparation. It is through the process of professional accreditation that the College of Education seeks to make a difference in the quality of teaching and educator preparation today, tomorrow, and for the next century. NCATE’s performance-based system of accreditation fosters competent classroom teachers and other educators who work to improve the education of all P­12 students.

The NCATE and MSDE accreditation process focuses on the professional education unit, which by definition is the entire college, because it is responsible for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel. The accreditation process involves program reviews by professional organizations, self study reports, development of an institutional report, and an on-site peer review.

From February 5 to 9, 2005, (BOE Visit Schedule, Schedule for Open Meetings (pdf)) the NCATE Board of Examiners (BOE) will conduct an on-site review of our college. Using six NCATE standards, the BOE team will evaluate our college’s capacity to effectively deliver our programs and assess the quality of our candidates [students] and graduates as measured by their ability to apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to help all students learn.

Careful preparation by all faculty members in the college, educator preparation candidates [students], P-12 administrators and teachers who are our partners is critical to a successful NCATE visit. The most important contribution you can make to the accreditation process is to become familiar with the Conceptual Framework that guides our programmatic efforts and the Institutional Report that presents the results of our self study. To assist you in developing an understanding of our written reports, we have summarized the Conceptual Framework and the Institutional Report in the attached brochure. Please take time to review the brochures contents and share it with your students.

The Office of the Dean and members of the faculty and staff who are diligently preparing for this upcoming visit appreciate any feedback, questions, or comments you may have regarding the NCATE accreditation process. Thank you in advance for your support and assistance in ensuring the success of the visit.

Full NCATE Institutional Report
(including the Conceptual Framework) - PDF document

Short NCATE Institutional Report Summary - PDF document

Research and Inquiry, Diversity, Collaboration, and Technology serve as the foundation for our NCATE approved teacher education programs. The overall goal is to produce Reflective Practitioners who possess Knowledge of Subject Matter, Curriculum, Learners, Educational Goals and Assessment, Social and Cultural Context, and Pedagogy.

State Addenda For NCATE Standard III