One way to ensure that no child gets left behind in the classroom is to provide quality teachers.

NC State's College of Education takes this charge seriously. It has proven its commitment to producing quality teachers for our nation's children by achieving accreditation under the performance-oriented standards of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the organization responsible for professional accreditation of teacher education.

NCATE accredits 540 institutions, which produce two-thirds of the nation's new teacher graduates each year.

Accreditation assures students and employers that NC State's College of Education is meeting rigorous standards. Teacher candidates must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they plan to teach as well as the skills necessary to convey this knowledge so that students learn.

"NCATE accreditation is the 'gold standard' for colleges with teacher-education programs," says Dr. Kathryn Moore, dean of the College of Education. "Coupled with the review by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, it assures students and the world at large that this college has high-quality programs staffed by well-qualified faculty, and that the students who graduate from these programs are well and fully prepared to be excellent teachers."

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as the professional accrediting body for schools, departments and colleges of education.

"Accreditation of the College of Education is an indication of diverse quality at the university," NC State Chancellor Marye Anne Fox said. "The college is helping North Carolina meet the demands for educators in both K-12 and higher education with well-trained teachers, counselors and administrators who strive to meet the highest professional standards."

While visiting an institution, members of the accreditation teams interview students, faculty, administrators and school-based partners; visit classrooms; and examine campus support facilities like the library to ensure NCATE and state education standards are being met.

"National accreditation assures the students in our program as well as those who hire our graduates that this is a very high quality program," Moore says. "The accreditation approval is for five years and encompasses exacting reviews and a campus visiting team of 13 professional educators from North Carolina and across the nation. I am pleased to say that the NCATE team cited our teacher-education programs for the high quality of our students and faculty and for our attention to diversity. This is a fine recognition of the hard work of our faculty and students and the attention we give here at NC State to the needs of public education."

NC State's College of Education is a technologically advanced, diverse learning community that prepares educational professionals, advances knowledge through research, and renders service to constituents globally. It enrolls about 1,250 students, and is composed of the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education; the Department of Curriculum and Instruction; the Department of Adult and Community College Education; and the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Counselor Education.

The college is committed to being a leader and innovator in research, application, and dissemination of effective strategies for teaching and learning through technology-enabled learning environments with the ultimate aim of preparing educators who foster high achievement for all students. Last year, 330 degrees - 93 bachelor's, 197 master's and 40 doctoral - were granted from the college.

NC State's College of Education also has a strong extension and engagement component. Faculty last year conducted more than 50 projects providing approximately $350,000 of in-kind professional services to schools in North Carolina.

Faculty provided service to the North Carolina Center for School Violence, the Raleigh Vet Center, and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The college maintains 18 "Online Tools for Schools," including Science Junction, Literacy Junction, MidTech Magazine, and Middle Educators Global Activities (MEGA). Career Key, an online career information and advising system developed by Dr. Larry Jones, receives thousands of hits weekly from the United States and abroad. The Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education conducted several "Girls on Track" camps - or programs to foster interest in science careers among middle school females - serving more than 40 teachers and nearly 200 young women. The Model Clinical Teaching Program provides consultation and training to a dozen colleges or universities and to school systems in 10 counties and publishes Connections, a newsletter distributed to more than 500 locations throughout the state.

Posted December 11, 2002

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