Randolph’s education department earns CAEP accreditation

Randolph College’s Department of Education recently received accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)—a mark of excellence in teacher preparation. 

CAEP is a nationally recognized accrediting body that accredits providers at the initial and advanced levels based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. 

“Receiving national accreditation through CAEP speaks to the hard work of the education department faculty and staff,” said Peggy Schimmoeller, Randolph’s Charles A. Dana Professor of Education and director of teacher education. “Our team is strong, and I am honored to work with a diverse team of intelligent and committed individuals. We are proud of the quality of our graduates.” 

Education faculty spent two years gathering, analyzing, and summarizing student effectiveness data to obtain full accreditation. Their work included completing a full review of all programs and presenting a self-study that included a comprehensive analysis of the curriculum, faculty qualifications, assessment methods, and student outcomes. 

Randolph offers undergraduate majors in elementary education, curriculum and instruction, and special education, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Education. Both master’s programs are now offered fully online. 

“Accreditation by CAEP assures we prepare candidates who are ready to enter classrooms with a high level of pedagogical knowledge along with the clinical training necessary to be successful educators and leaders in our educational communities,” Schimmoeller said. “We are proud of this accomplishment.”