The Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP) recently published an open letter regarding the status of teacher preparation and accreditation and CAEP's role in those processes.
In the letter, CAEP President James C. Cebulka retraces the evolution of CAEP, notes that the Council "has not always provided consistent or sufficient guidance to providers," points to online resources for programs preparing for CAEP review, and reaffirms CAEP's support for high quality teacher preparation.
An excerpt is below. Find the full letter at https://caepnet.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/jim-cibulka-statement-31015.pdf.
Letter to the Profession of Educator Preparation
Dear CAEP Stakeholders,
We are in the midst of a sea change in expectations for teacher preparation in our country. Many forces are in play, including efforts to dismantle teacher licensure and to bypass the institution of accreditation. These threats to our field’s professionalization and its stature should not be underestimated. Others will step in if we do not step forward ourselves.
Amid this cacophony of self-described reformers, CAEP has emerged as a voice for the preparation of P-12 educators as a profession. This is a singular achievement, and one which can counter ill-advised proposals that would take our country backwards by weakening teacher preparation as a profession and accreditation as an effective and preferable alternative to excessive government regulation.