Washington, DC -- The NCATE Executive Board voted unanimously at its fall meeting in October to redesign the NCATE accreditation process. The change is on a fast track. The Board asked Dr. James Cibulka, President of NCATE, to return in Spring 2009, after consulting with all NCATE constituencies, with a comprehensive set of recommendations for redesign of NCATE's unit accreditation and program review processes to provide options, promote rigor, relevance, and inquiry, and ensure cost-effectiveness. The Board is encouraging Cibulka to initiate and vet proposals in order to move forward as expeditiously as possible.

James Cibulka, President of NCATE, emphasized that this move “is about using accreditation as a lever for reform of educator preparation. States are focusing on 21 st century learning skills ( http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/ ) for P-12 students; teacher preparation must be on the same page. Higher education must make the transformation with P-12 and contribute to it by helping to build quality learning environments staffed with teams who can make those environments effective for student learning. Accreditation should encourage partnerships between higher education and P-12 schools and districts. NCATE can encourage institutions to focus on initiatives related to key national, state, and district needs through a continuous self-improvement process,” said Cibulka.

National and state policy experts who spoke at NCATE’s annual General Assembly signaled to NCATE leaders that teacher preparation is an enterprise in flux.

Panelist and NCATE Executive Board member Gene Wilhoit, Executive Director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, said “Teacher preparation is integral to positive P-12 learning results. We must support states in their efforts to improve teacher preparation programs to ultimately enhance student learning.” Several states are already beginning to follow graduates of teacher preparation programs and the affects these teachers have on learning – additional states are moving in this direction as well.

In addition, during the presidential campaign, both political parties’ platforms included a mixed model in the area of teacher preparation. Obama’s platform includes funding for teacher residencies with year-long clinical preparation. NCATE is encouraging accredited institutions to initiate such partnerships with their districts. In addition, policy experts at NCATE’s General Assembly recommended differentiated teacher preparation to match differentiated staffing needs of districts. Shortages in the number of math and science teachers are leading districts to experiment with hiring engineers, computer scientists and others with expertise in those areas to consult part-time with schools as resource specialists. General Assembly panelists recommended high quality differentiated teacher preparation to enable school districts to meet needs in shortage areas.

In addition, a survey which NCATE conducted this fall of its accredited institutions indicates that institutions want a more focused, streamlined process with less paperwork and more emphasis on adding value.

Dr. James G. Cibulka, President of NCATE, said “The NCATE Executive Board has provided a signal to the organization that we must be responsive to our institutions and the policy environment. I am committed to developing a process which promotes rigor and inquiry, and which makes the process useful to institutions as they strive to improve themselves.”

Cibulka continued by explaining four principles that will guide the redesign. He said

(1) “Accreditation must serve as a lever for reform of educator preparation and must work in tandem to help achieve transformation of P-12 education to focus on higher-order skills. It must raise the bar for educator preparation.

(2) Accrediting high quality alternative providers and forging partnerships among providers and school districts must be encouraged and implemented. Accreditation exists in a mixed market of providers. Recognizing high quality innovations which can be brought to scale should be part of the work of accreditation. Teacher preparation accreditation should distinguish high quality providers in this market, whether they exist within institutions of higher education or as other providers.

(3) Accreditation must create value for teacher preparation institutions to help them improve their programs, and

(4) Accreditation must be a cost-effective and cost-efficient enterprise.”

NCATE leaders and institutions echoed the unanimous vote of the NCATE Executive Board.

Sharon Robinson, President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) said, “I am thrilled to see NCATE making this transition. AACTE is committed to working with NCATE to make accreditation of providers of high quality educator preparation a relevant, cost-effective, yet rigorous process.”

“NCATE will emerge a stronger accrediting agency as a result of reshaping its process,” said Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association and NCATE Executive Board member. “Jim Cibulka is the right person at the right time to engage higher education institutions as full partners with P-12 school districts in the recruitment, preparation, induction, and development of teachers through the system of accreditation.”

"This move on NCATE's part is a welcome one. Incorporating continuous improvement strategies and options into teacher preparation accreditation will succeed in 'raising the bar' and will promote further research and development on teacher quality issues among institutions," said Richard Schwab, Dean, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut.