Accreditation by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Affirms School’s Emphasis on Teacher Quality
San Diego, Calif. – March 11, 2015 – The School of Education at National University, the second largest private, nonprofit university in California, has been granted accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The accreditation process establishes rigorous, evidence-based standards for teacher education programs nationwide that support student achievement at the PreK-12th grade level.
National University’s School of Education pursued the accreditation process to affirm its commitment to high-quality teacher preparation. For the past 14 years, the University has recommended more candidates for teaching credentials in California than any other university in the state. National University also confers more master’s degrees in education than any other non-profit university in the United States, and is the fourth largest conferrer of master’s degrees in education among all universities in the U.S.
“This accreditation distinction reflects our long-standing emphasis on developing and supporting quality teachers and educators who are experts in their subject matter and who know how to teach effectively and passionately,” said National University Provost Debra Bean. “We are proud of the successes of our graduates and of their role in contributing to an enhanced educational experience for students at the PreK-12th grade levels.”
National University is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission and is an institutional member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. In addition to the NCATE accreditation, School of Education is approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), and approved for offering bachelor’s and master degrees by the Nevada State Department of Education and is a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
National University’s role in educating teachers is substantial. National University holds teaching contracts with nearly 1,000 California school districts, meaning National’s graduates are shaping the lives of thousands of students each day. In the San Diego Unified School District alone, about 25 percent of principals come from National University School of Education programs, and a total of 94 alumni have been named district Teacher of the Year in California through 2014.
In Nevada, National University and Clark County School District recently signed an agreement to provide opportunities for teacher licensure and Bachelor’s degree completion opportunities for several hundred substitute teachers. The agreement is meant to address an urgent need to prepare highly qualified teachers in that state.
In addition to its teacher education programs, the University is leading the national rollout of initiatives that support the ongoing professional development of educators at the Pre-K-12 grade level through the recently-created Sanford Education Center.
Among the Center’s initiatives, the Sanford Harmony Program helps PreK-6th grade teachers promote positive peer interactions at primary grade levels to encourage a more harmonious learning environment and improve relations among all students into adulthood. The Sanford Inspire Program provides K-12th grade teachers with resources that help them create inspiring learning environments that support student success. Both programs were initially developed at Arizona State University and National University is leading the national rollout in collaboration with schools, districts, and other universities.
About National University
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California. With 30,000 students and more than 230,000 alumni, National University is the flagship institution of the National University System. National University is dedicated to making lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging, and relevant to a diverse population of students. Five schools and one college – the College of Letters and Sciences; the School of Business and Management; the School of Education; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies – offer more than 75 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 23 teacher credentials. Programs are offered at locations throughout California and across the nation, and are also available online. National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California.
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