November 20, 2008

CBU Education Program Earns National Accreditation

Memphis -- Christian Brothers University's (CBU) Department of Education received professional accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). CBU joins 622 distinguished, accredited institutions which produce two-thirds of the nation's new teacher graduates each year. This accreditation exemplifies the academic-intensive education programs offered by CBU that graduate well-qualified teachers ready for today's classrooms.

Studies show that teacher quality is the most important factor in K-12 achievement. CBU's Education department has proven its commitment to producing quality teachers by achieving accreditation under the performance-oriented standards of NCATE.

Talana Vogel, Chair of the Education department, states, "As a nationally accredited teacher education program, our students will be assured that their program is of the highest quality possible." CBU's accreditation, according to Vogel, solidified the Department's values and principles of their conceptual framework such as servant leadership, builders of vibrant learning communities and champions of individual learners. "Pursuing and achieving the NCATE accreditation demonstrates the Department of Education's commitment to excellence," states Vogel.

CBU's education programs are for dedicated teachers and leaders who are seeking to become licensed teachers. They are designed specifically to meet state and national standards for initial teaching licensure and to emphasize the development of fully professional, fully licensed teachers. Licenses in Early Childhood (PreK-3), K-6, 4-8. 7-12. and Visual Arts (K-12) are offered.

NCATE-accredited schools must meet rigorous standards set by the profession and members of the public. Candidates must be prepared to understand and work with diverse student populations. The University must model effective teaching practices and must have the resources, such as information technology, necessary to prepare candidates to meet new standards.

The U. S. Department of Education recognizes NCATE as a specialized accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education. NCATE is composed of more than 30 professional and policymaker organizations representing millions of Americans committed to quality teaching.

For more information about CBU's Department of Education, contact Talana Vogel at tvogel@cbu.edu. More information about NCATE is available at www.ncate.org. ###