Education Department exceeds rigorous accreditation standards

(July 2, 2020) JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Carson-Newman University’s Education Department is now among a select group of programs receiving accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

The CAEP Teacher Accreditation Standards are rigorous, nationally held standards that were developed to ensure excellence.

“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.”

Institutions seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on solid evidence that the University’s graduates are competent and caring educators, and that the faculty use a culture of evidence to maintain and enhance their professional program’s quality.

Dr. Kim Hawkins, dean of the C-N School of Education and Counseling, noted that the University’s program passed every level of the accreditation’s standards without a single suggestion for improvement or a stipulation on the accreditation.

“This is an academic slam dunk and is extremely rare,” Hawkins said. “I have not yet heard of any other institution in our state who has been through the full review at both the initial and advanced levels who can say the same thing.”

Carson-Newman’s Education Program has enjoyed national accreditation since 1965. This first visit by the newly formed Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation was a joint review with the Tennessee Department of Education.

In February, C-N received the highest score of “exceeds expectations” on the Tennessee State Board of Education’s annual report card.

“Our education graduates are highly sought after and continue to be hired by school systems across the state,” Hawkins said. “Our faculty and staff are outstanding, and this was a team effort, led by the brilliant mind of our Education Chair and CAEP Coordinator, Dr. Cindy Lang. Kudos to everyone. We are on a roll, and we are proud.”

Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman is a Christian liberal arts-based university affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The University is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, among the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and has over 2,700 students. Carson-Newman offers 50 undergraduate majors, as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.