MSUM among 55 Educator Prep Programs recognized for National Excellence

(Moorhead, MN) -- The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation has announced that Minnesota State University Moorhead 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 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.”  

MSUM is one of only two institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and one of five universities in the state that have earned this prestigious recognition.  

“Our students and faculty should be very proud of the work they are doing. We’ve set a very high bar for our teacher education programs and CAEP accreditation validates our program, our approach to teacher education, and our student success,” said Ok-Hee Lee, MSUM’s Dean of the College of Education and Human Services. “Our students are investing in an education program that is peer reviewed and nationally accredited for teacher preparation.” 

About MSUM’s School of Teaching & Learning  

• MSU Moorhead’s School of Teaching and Learning has been continuously accredited since 1931, previously under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. 
• MSUM’s teacher education providers are recognized for their excellence in preparing future teachers. Students get more than 200 hours of observing and teaching in classrooms. Our faculty are renowned educators who have received outstanding teaching awards, authored books and articles, and earned Quality Matters certification.  
• MSUM’s accredited undergraduate education degrees include elementary inclusive education, early childhood education, special education, and secondary and K-12 education programs in art, chemistry, communication arts & literature, developmental and adapted physical education, Earth science, health, life science, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, social studies, and Spanish.  
• MSUM’s accredited graduate degrees include special education, school psychology, and the MS & Specialist in educational leadership.     

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. 

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. 

MSUM joins 55 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.

You can find out more about CAEP by clicking here.