BUCKHANNON — West Virginia Wesleyan College is one of 42 providers in the nation to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs (EPP) by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

CAEP Accreditation Council’s review for the spring 2019 resulted in 42 newly-accredited EPPs, bringing the total to only 238 providers approved under the CAEP Teacher Preparation Standards, which are rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

“These institutions meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate,” said CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”

“Accreditation is an ongoing process of continuous improvement. It is affirmation of our work not only in the classroom but more importantly with our community partners. The college works with Upshur, Lewis, Randolph and Harrison counties to provide only the best clinical experiences for our teacher education students,” said Director of the School of Education Dr. Karen R. Petitto.

“The accreditation process assures that our programs in Music, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Special Education, and Elementary Education prepare high-quality, successful teachers for West Virginia schools who are classroom ready.” Dr. Petitto also noted that the Special Education major is in direct response to the West Virginia teacher shortage.

CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement.

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles. The first is solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators. The second principle is solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.

Wesleyan joins 41 other providers to receive accreditation this spring, including Duke University, Loyola University Chicago, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and the University of Virginia.