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UTPB SCHOOL OF ED GETS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION
“Four years of preparation and hard work has paid off. I have received notice that the School of Education has received national accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. NCATE is the professional accrediting organization for schools, colleges and departments of education in the United States, and UTPB meets the gold standard,” Watts said.
UTPB is one of only 13 Texas universities to meet NCATE’s standards and the second University of Texas institution. UTPB is proud to join Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, Baylor University, Sam Houston State University, UT Arlington, Lamar University, Prairie View A&M University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Trinity University, University of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake and University of North Texas.
School of Education Dean Ed Mills said nine of the school’s programs have also received national recognition this year.
“The NCATE accreditation is yet another indicator of the quality of our programs,” Mills said. “Only about 600 universities nationwide can lay claim to this honor.”
Mills added that national accreditation will be a true benefit to Texas school children.
“NCATE standards are rigorous. Meeting them means that the teachers and specialists we train are well prepared. They are the very best educators,” Mills said. “Our children will benefit the most from this accreditation.”
Mills said research shows that the students of teachers who graduate from NCATE accredited universities perform better in the classroom and often test scores are higher.
“These teachers have strong content knowledge and excellent skills in delivering that knowledge,” Mills said. “There is evidence that test scores in math and reading improve when students are taught by graduates from NCATE accredited institutions.”
Watts said Texas school teachers also benefit from the accreditation.
“The public is crying out for accountability in education, and we’re holding our educators to the highest national standard. We want Texas teachers to be the best prepared,” Watts said. “We want them to love their jobs, and UT Permian Basin is giving them the tools they need to be the most successful.”
The UTPB School of Education currently has more than 700 students working toward teacher certification, 350 students enrolled in graduate programs and 80 students enrolled in the West Texas Principals Center. UTPB teaching candidates currently have a 98 percent pass rate on the state certification exam.
For more information, visit www.utpb.edu/educ and www.NCATE.org.
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