Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett, an associate professor of elementary education, has been appointed to a three-year term on the Board of Examiners for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
NCATE is a national accrediting body for schools, colleges and departments of education authorized by the U.S. Department of Education. It is a coalition of 33 national education organizations, representing teachers, teacher educators, subject matter specialists and policy makers.
NCATE determines which schools, colleges and departments of education meet rigorous national standards in preparing teachers and other school specialists for the classroom. Accreditation assures that the school underwent rigorous external review by professionals, that performance of teacher candidates in the program are thoroughly assessed before being recommended for certification, and that programs meet standards set by the teaching profession at large.
Members of the NCATE Board of Examiners perform the most essential component of the NCATE process-the volunteer peer review of the professional education unit at a college or university. All on-site visits to schools of education are conducted by BOE teams of three to six educators, policy makers and education specialists.
