Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Big Differences Remain for Accreditation Groups

June 07, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

I was pleased to read your article “Education Schools Use Performance Standards to Improve Graduates” (May 11, 2005). It is good to see that the hard work of teacher-preparation institutions professionally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education is being recognized.

A point of possible confusion that warrants clarification, however, is your assertion that the difference between NCATE and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council is “fading away.”

While this may appear to be the case, there remain key differences between the two organizations, as is captured in the quote from Frank B. Murray: “You ought to have some evidence that your students can do what you said or what the standards say.”

The TEAC-accredited institutions provide evidence based on their own established goals (“what you said”), whereas NCATE institutions provide evidence based on national professional standards (“what the standards say”).

The TEAC approach discovers whether or not an institution has met its own goals, which is fine for an institution to undertake, but it should not be considered a review against national professional standards. This is a clear and substantial difference between NCATE accreditation and TEAC’s approach.

NCATE seeks to engage the teaching profession in building a consensus around the most current base of knowledge and practice in the field, and to determine whether the institutions reviewed meet standards based on that knowledge and practice.

Knowledge constantly evolves in every profession, and thus the standards tend to change over time. One of the duties of a profession is to continue building and refining the knowledge base, expecting accredited institutions to use it in their programs.

David W. Kinman

Assistant Dean

School of Education

Indiana University Bloomington

Bloomington, Ind.

Related Tags:

Events

Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: February 5, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz News Quiz: Jan. 30, 2025: Interim Ed. Dept. Leader | Navigating Immigration Policies | Teacher Evaluations | And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
Al Drago/AP
Education Briefly Stated: January 29, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Jan. 23, 2025
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
Al Drago/AP