To the Editor:
I was dismayed as I read the piece about the current accreditation of teacher education programs and how the process appears to be in disarray (“Teacher-Prep Accreditation Group Seeks Traction,” Aug. 24, 2016).
I have fond memories of my involvement with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which merged with another accrediting body, the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), to form a third, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). My memories include the weeklong professional training and annual training updates, the on-site visits where we often worked beyond midnight, and the transition from evaluating individual programs to evaluating whole units to include everything that had anything to do with the preparation of teachers.
I hope all who work on, and with, the newly formed CAEP have wonderful, memorable experiences enhancing teacher education preparation in America.
Allen Berger
Heckert Professor of Reading and Writing Emeritus
Miami University (Ohio)
Savannah, Ga.