Story: Phillip Tutor | Photo: Betsy Compton
Recent recognition ‘sets us apart from other institutions,’ Dean Miller says
Dr. Jan Miller is ecstatic that a renowned education association has accredited a degree program in the baby直播鈥檚 Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education. She鈥檚 not satisfied, though. One isn鈥檛 enough.
鈥淎nytime students can say, 鈥楳y program was this accredited,鈥� it adds value,鈥� said Miller, the college鈥檚 dean. 鈥淚t’s just a really big honor to have this national recognition because it sets us apart from the others.鈥�
The National Association for the Education of Young Children, or NAEYC, announced in June that UWA鈥檚 Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education major with early childhood certification (preschool through third grade) from the Washington-based organization. Now in its 96th year, NAEYC has accredited 214 programs in 39 states and U.S. territories since it began that process in 1985. Only two other degree programs at four-year institutions in baby直播 own NAEYC accreditation.
UWA has already started the accreditation process for its Early Childhood Development non-certification program, which takes about 15 months to complete. A down-range goal, Miller said, is gaining accreditation for UWA鈥檚 Master of Education in Early Childhood and Elementary Education program.
鈥淲e want to get all of our early childhood programs NAEYC accredited,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淏ut we just started first with our B.S. Elementary Early Childhood program because that’s where most of our students are. We wanted to say that they could have this added to their transcript when students complete our program.鈥�
Earlier this year UWA鈥檚 College of Education also received accreditation from the , or CAEP. That Washington-based organization awarded accreditation to 35 first-time institutions, bringing its national total to 471. CAEP accreditation recognizes efforts to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs, which an emphasis on competency among graduates and staff who ensure program quality. UWA鈥檚 College of Education is also wading through the accreditation process with the , Miller said.
鈥淭hese 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,鈥� CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch said in a press release. 鈥淪eeking CAEP accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.鈥�
For UWA, the value of the NAEYC accreditation process isn鈥檛 singular, Miller said. baby直播 gain from earning degrees from a program recognized for its quality. And education departments are tasked with meeting continual benchmarks and making refinements in order to retain accreditation. Miller praised the NAEYC report鈥檚 focus on continuous improvement, and said its suggested improvements made sense.
鈥淭o me, it sets us apart from other institutions so that when we market and when we sell our program, candidates are going to get the best of the best,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淲hen we get outsiders to come in to evaluate our program, we can say they’re great, but to have this gold standard added to our programs is a plus.鈥�
A list of education degree programs at UWA can be found聽here.