SSU School of Education Receives National Accreditation for First Time

Sonoma State University's School of Education reached a milestone in its history with recent notification of national accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. NCATE is a nationwide accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education authorized by the U.S. Department of Education.

NCATE determines which schools, colleges, and departments of education meet rigorous national standards in preparing teachers and other school specialists for the classroom. Its performance-oriented standards are set by the teaching profession and members of the public. Many see its recognition as a key to teacher accountability and verifcation of preparation program quality.

SSU Education School Dean Mary Gendernalik-Cooper says the accreditation "affirms the commitment of our faculty to providing programs of excellence and addressing the region's demand for highly qualified teachers for all students." Some 400 candidates complete SSU credential programs each year and the school enrolls approximately 700 in its various teacher preparation programs.

NCATE currently accredits 614 teacher education institutions in the U.S. These institutions produce two-thirds of the nation's new teacher graduates each year.

The new professional teacher graduating from an NCATE-accredited institution like SSU meets the following criteria:

• is able to handle the demands of a classroom on day one - not through on-the-job training;



• knows the subject matter and a variety of ways to teach it to ensure student learning;



• can manage classrooms with students from widely diverse backgrounds;



• has a broad liberal arts education;



• is able to explain why he or she uses a particular teaching strategy based on research and best practice;



• reflects on practice and changes what does not work;



• is able to apply effective methods of teaching students of different backgrounds;



• has had a number of diverse clinical experiences in P-12 schools and studies under a wide variety of master teachers during a coherent program of clinical education;



• nurtures the growth and development of each student in his or her classes.

This past April, SSU's School of Education programs received state re-accreditation through 2010 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Contact: Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, (707) 664-2057.