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SLU'S TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM NATIONALLY ACCREDITED

CANTON - St. Lawrence University's undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs, preparing teachers on the undergraduate and graduate levels for service in public and private schools, have been accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) for a period of five years, from June 2007 to June 2012.

This accreditation certifies that the University's teacher education programs have provided evidence that St. Lawrence adheres to TEAC's quality principles. The TEAC review process includes a thorough self-study of program outcomes; a site visit; an audit that verifies the accuracy of the evidence that student learning meets high expectations; and a collection of evidence that the programs and the University are following processes consistent with the organization's goals.

Careers in education are among the top choices for St. Lawrence graduates, as evidenced in an annual survey conducted by the career planning office. The program has three options, which lead to a bachelor's or master's degree and to initial and/or professional certification in New York State, and has always been grounded in a liberal education with a subject-matter major or its equivalent.

Associate Professor of Education James Shuman, chair of the education department, said "National accreditation in teacher education is a wonderful accomplishment for St. Lawrence. It validates far more than the education department by itself, because the entire liberal arts curriculum plays a major role in the preparation of excellent teachers. Accreditation by TEAC certifies that we are doing a very solid job of preparing educators, and faculty in all academic departments contribute to that, particularly those who provide the subject-matter knowledge in students' majors."

The University's program joins 41 teacher education programs at institutions across the country in earning TEAC accreditation.

Founded in 1997, TEAC is a non-profit organization, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and dedicated to improving academic degree programs for professional educators, those who will teach and lead in schools, pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Through the accreditation process, TEAC's goal is to support the preparation of competent, caring and qualified professional educators.

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