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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (June 11, 2015) — Milligan College’s undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs have achieved all of the performance-oriented standards set by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and once again received accreditation.
Research has shown that graduates from NCATE institutions significantly outperform those from other institutions on National Teacher Examinations. Milligan is one of only 13 private colleges in Tennessee accredited by NCATE.
“Our teacher education faculty are proud that the program continues to meet NCATE’s rigorous, performance-oriented standards,” said Dr. Lyn Howell, area chair and associate professor of education.
The college’s education alums have seen success locally and nationwide, including the recent appointment of Dr. Corey Gardenhour, who earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Milligan in 1998 followed by a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree
in 1999, to director of Elizabethton City Schools. Another M.Ed. graduate, David Arwood (’10), who teaches third grade at Valley Forge Elementary School, was recently honored as “Teacher of the Year” in Carter County for the K-4 division.
“NCATE’s approval reaffirms Milligan’s track record preparing some of the highest quality teachers who not only serve this region, but across the globe,” said Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer. “The college prepares master teachers who aren’t merely experts in their fields, but have the heart and mission to become servant leaders in their community.”
NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards set by the profession and members of the public. Teacher candidates must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they plan to teach, possess the skills necessary to convey it so that students learn and demonstrate their ability to understand and work with diverse student populations.
The college or university must carefully assess the teacher’s knowledge and skill; have partnerships with Pre-K–12 schools that enable candidates to develop those skills; model effective teaching practices; and provide the resources, including information technology resources, necessary to prepare candidates to meet new standards.
Institutions accredited under NCATE standards, as well as those accredited under the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) Quality Principles, are now served by the single specialized accreditation system for educator preparation in the United States, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). More than 900 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system.
Milligan will seek accreditation under CAEP Standards in 2021. Formed in 2013, CAEP administers NCATE accreditation. For more information about CAEP, visit www.caepnet.org.
To learn more about Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu.