Seal of Approval

Franks School of Education earns continuing NCATE accreditation

ANGOLA, Ind. – After five years of diligence from Trine University faculty and staff and the community, the Franks School of Education has received continuing accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the organization responsible for professional accreditation of teacher education. As a result of garnering NCATE accreditation, Indiana Department of Education accreditation was awarded, as well.

“We are very pleased that we have met the high standards NCATE sets forth. Trine’s education school is among the smallest in the country to receive this distinction,” said Sue VanWagner, Ph.D., dean of the Franks School of Education. “This achievement would not have been possible without the collaboration of area schools and teachers and our dedicated faculty and staff at Trine.”

The support of area schools and the dedication of talented teachers were critical pieces of the accreditation process. Without them, Trine education students would not have had vital classroom experiences needed to be successful in their careers.

“At Trine, our philosophy is that students need to be in the classroom as soon as their freshman year. This is an approach that works for us,” VanWagner said. “Our students travel throughout the tri-state region to observe, teach lessons and student-teach and to better understand socioeconomic, racial and gender diversity.”

NCATE currently accredits 667 colleges of education with nearly 100 more seeking NCATE accreditation.  Fewer than half of the institutions across the country are nationally accredited. Accreditation is determined by assessing: candidate in-depth knowledge, skills and professional dispositions; assessment system and unit evaluation; field experiences and clinical practice; diversity; faculty qualifications, performance and development; and unit governance and resources.

“We have been most impressed with the cooperation received from the faculty staff and administration at your institution,” said James Cibulka, president of NCATE. “This accreditation decision indicates that the unit and its programs meet the rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community.”

To share your news, contact Trine University communication specialist Lindsay Winslow Brown at winslowbrownl@trine.edu.