Education Aligns with TEAC

Northern’s teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Instead of proceeding with the next scheduled NCATE review in spring 2009, Northern plans to seek accreditation from the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).

The state superintendent of public instruction is requiring that all teacher education programs be nationally accredited. Northern is one of six public universities in Michigan that have achieved that distinction – all through NCATE. After comparing NCATE and TEAC, Northern’s education faculty and administrators reassessed the situation and unanimously approved the change.     

“TEAC’s goal is to provide public assurance that a specific program prepares competent, caring and qualified professional educators,” said Rod Clarken (Education). “Their process of examining the institution’s goals and evidence that it is accomplishing its goals are in alignment with the AQIP philosophy and with the university, college and school’s mission statements. This process offers a more authentic, reliable and valid measure of the quality of our programs and requires NMU to be accountable in a more responsible, reasonable and meaningful manner. It also expects faculty to examine their assessments, evidence, philosophy, policies and structures to better understand the practices and claims of their teacher education program.”

Clarken said the University of Michigan and Michigan State have elected to be nationally accredited by TEAC. Oakland University and Wayne State, like Northern, were were previously accredited by NCATE and are switching to TEAC. Others are considering the same move.