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The Williams Teacher Education Program (WTEP) at Williams Baptist University has been granted national accreditation for its educator preparation programs, making it one of 55 providers from 28 states and the United Arab Emirates to receive accreditation this fall. 

All WTEP programs of study achieved national accreditation through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Those programs include: Elementary Education K-6, Middle Level 4-8, Health & Physical Education K-12, Music Education K-12, Secondary Social Studies Education 7-12, Secondary English Education 7-12, and Graduate MAT (Middle Level or Secondary.

“Our WTEP faculty have invested in the quality of our programs to ensure that our teacher candidates are effective educators who are intentional, reflective, and growing in their teaching practice,” said Dr. Charlotte Wheeless, WBU LaDelle Moody Chair of Teacher Education. “WTEP graduates are skilled learning experience designers who are poised for long-term success in the field of education. We have high expectations for our teacher prep program and CAEP Accreditation validates the quality of our programs and our graduates.”

CAEP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. More than 600 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system.

“I am extremely proud of the work done by Dr. Wheeless and of every member of the education faculty and staff,” WBU President Dr. Stan Norman said. “Their hard work and team effort to meet the rigorous standards of accreditation of CAEP is a testament to their dedication to the students of Williams and the education field.”

The Fall 2022 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 55 educator preparation providers receiving accreditation, bringing the total to 507 providers approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards – 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.” 

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

Williams is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge, Ark.