January 18, 2008 :: No. 132

Considered a “clean sweep,” Cal State Fullerton’s College of Education teacher preparation programs have met all state program standards to earn reaccreditation from the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Committee on Accreditation.

The Committee on Accreditation (COA), an appointed body of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), unanimously approved full accreditation Thursday at its meeting in Ontario.

“We’re just elated that each of our programs was approved with no areas of improvement, which is almost unheard of,” said Claire Cavallaro, dean of the College of Education. “What this means is that our College of Education provides excellent, innovative programs and that we’re committed to meeting the very highest standards to prepare highly qualified teachers to go out and teach at California’s public schools.”

The accreditation team report stated: “It is noteworthy that all standards were fully met for all programs. Overall, the institution and its programs are of high quality and are producing graduates who are highly valued by employers.”

COA members not only commended the college for its work preparing future teachers, but also noted that it is unusual for institutions to meet all state program standards for all program areas.

“Looking at the report, this is the first one where there are no weaknesses or concerns noted, which is a compliment,” said COA member Edward Kujawa, dean of the School of Education at Dominican University and a member of the committee since 1999. “What you need to do is find a way to share what you’re doing with other institutions.”

Shane Martin, dean of the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University and state team leader, cited the “incredible professionalism and dedication of faculty,” and said, “There’s a culture of excellence that has been in place for many years.”

CTC staff also commended the college: “It was such a strong report; the institution can take some pride in this,” said Lawrence Birch, director of CTC’s Professional Services Division and lead consultant on the accreditation process.
                                                            
The written report was prepared by COA education experts, along with representatives from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Reviewers from each agency visited Cal State Fullerton’s College of Education Nov. 3-7, 2007, reviewed extensive program documentation and conducted 1,035 interviews that included faculty members, program graduates, credential candidates, employers and school district administrators.

NCATE is expected to announce its decision this spring on the college’s bid for renewal of its national accreditation. Cal State Fullerton is the only teacher preparation program in Orange County accredited by NCATE, a status the university has held since 1971. The state commission has accredited CSUF teacher preparation programs since the 1960s. Thursday’s action, however, is the first such reaccreditation for Fullerton since the College of Education was established in 2004.

Carmen Zuniga Dunlap, the college’s associate dean, who led the reaccreditation effort, noted that the review process “was a good experience for us.” She characterized the team effort among state and national accreditation representatives and the college’s staff and faculty members as “unprecedented.”

The College of Education has five departments, 18 credential programs, plus three credential programs housed in other colleges. About 2,200 students are enrolled in the college’s teacher education programs, and in 2005-06, the institution recommended 1,100 candidates for credentials.

The college offers educator preparation for credentials in the following areas: multiple- subject teaching (K-8); multiple-subject teaching with a bilingual emphasis (Spanish); single-subject teaching (middle school and high school); education specialist in the areas of mild/moderate disabilities, moderate/severe disabilities and early childhood special education; clinical rehabilitative services in language, speech and hearing; administrative services; health services school nurse; and reading and language arts specialist.

Teacher education is a primary focus of the California State University system, producing 55 percent of the state’s teachers each year. The next state accreditation visit to Cal State Fullerton is slated for the 2014-15 academic year.

Additional information about the CSUF College of Education is available online: http://ed.fullerton.edu/. For information about educator preparation program accreditation, visit http://www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-prep/program-accred.html.

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