ST. LOUIS – Online, nonprofit WGU Missouri, and its parent university Western Governors University, announced that its Teacher’s College recently earned accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP is the main nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation, and its set of rigorous Teacher Preparation Standards were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs. WGU is one of only 196 institutions in the nation – and the first fully online, competency-based university – to earn accreditation for its teacher preparation programs by CAEP.
“Western Governors University meets 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.”
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WGU’s programs, which have been accredited by NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) since 2006, are now accredited by CAEP through 2025. The university maintains regional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
“Our students and faculty should be very proud of the work they are doing – we’ve set a very high bar for our teacher prep programs, and CAEP accreditation validates the hard work we are doing,” said Dr. Deborah Eldridge, Academic Vice President for WGU’s Teachers College. “Our students and their families are investing in an education program that is designated as nationally accredited for teacher preparation. As an online, competency-based portfolio of teacher preparation programs, it is particularly gratifying to demonstrate that our innovative approach meets rigorous, external standards set by national entities, such as CAEP.”
Established in 2003 with the support of the U.S. Department of Education, WGU's Teachers College prepares teachers for licensure in all 50 states. WGU's Teachers College, which has graduated more than 33,000 students to date, is a leader in STEM education and a top producer of math and science teachers throughout the nation. The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) ranked WGU's secondary math education program in the nation's top one percent.
WGU’s Teachers College initial licensure programs are nationally recognized by TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics), ACEI (American Association of Childhood Education International), NSTA (National Science Teachers Association), and NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English).
For more information, visit Missouri.wgu.edu.
About CAEP
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. It is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. Currently, more than 800 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including many previously accredited through former standards.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members provide one-on-one guidance, support, and instruction.
Established through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
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