SNHU Educator Prep Programs Recognized for National Excellence

Announced recently, Southern New Hampshire University’s (SNHU) School of Arts, Sciences, and Education is one of 34 providers from 24 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs leading to initial licensure by The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

According to CAEP, the Fall 2023 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 34 educator preparation providers receiving accreditation, bringing the total to 551 providers approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards – rigorous, nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

The national accreditation, effective between Fall 2023 and Fall 2030, is recognized across the industry and helps give graduates of SNHU’s education programs leading to initial licensure a competitive advantage, according to Dr. Benjamin Cole, Dean of the SNHU School of Arts, Sciences, and Education.

“Educator accreditation is a seal of approval that assures quality in educator preparation and ensures educator programs prepare new teachers to know their subjects, their students, and have the clinical training that allows them to enter the classroom ready to teach effectively,” Cole said.

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of the CAEP standards, which are based on two principles:

1. Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators, and
2. Solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.

“These providers 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.”

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. Approximately, 600 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including some previously accredited through former standards.

The School of Arts, Sciences and Education at Southern New Hampshire University is granted accreditation at the initial licensure level by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (1140 19th St NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036; 202-223-0077). Additional information regarding the programs covered under this accreditation and the accountability measures can be found on SNHU’s Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation page.

About CAEP: The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.

Siobhan Lopez is a former journalist, who is now the assistant director of media relations at Southern New Hampshire University.