Accreditation

Teacher preparation and other professional school personnel programs offered by Syracuse University are fully recognized as accredited by the New York State Department of Education. Professional accreditation of preparatory education programs is the bedrock upon which all professions (e.g., architecture, engineering, medicine, and law) have built their reputations. It assures that those entering the respective field have been suitably prepared to practice through assimilation of a body of knowledge and pre-service practice in the profession. Accreditation of schools of education indicates that the school underwent rigorous external review by professionals, that performance of a teacher candidate in the program has been thoroughly assessed before they are recommended for licensure, and that programs meet standards set by the teaching profession at large.

Regional accreditation organizations are now following this same rigorous approach to assessments and are asking faculty from education to be leaders at their institutions. This paradigm shift is creating a culture on college campuses towards innovation and quality improvements.

Syracuse University is currently pursuing accreditation of its teacher preparation and other professional school personnel programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). Teacher preparation and other professional school personnel programs are administered through five colleges/schools at Syracuse University: College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education, College of Visual & Performing Arts, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, and School of Information Studies. Pursuant to Section 52.21 of the New York Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, teacher preparation and other professional school personnel programs offered by Syracuse University are considered to be continuously accredited for purposes of meeting the New York State requirement that all such programs maintain continuous accreditation.

From the Expectations Framework for programs accredited by the AAQEP:

“AAQEP is an accreditation organization for educator preparation programs. AAQEP was founded by educators in 2017 to promote the preparation of effective educators in innovative, outcome-focused programs that engage education’s toughest challenges directly and in context. AAQEP’s comprehensive standards for educator preparation specify aspects of completer performance and program practice that identify effective programs and that qualify those programs for AAQEP accreditation.”