AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's Teacher Education Program (UTEP) received unanimous approval for reaccreditation last week from the Iowa Department of Education's State Board of Education.
Iowa State's first president, Adonijah Welch, created a professorship in the "science and art of teaching" in 1868. Many believe that Iowa State was the first U.S. institution to offer ongoing teacher education courses as part of a four-year bachelor's degree program.
Today, three ISU colleges -- the College of Human Sciences, College of Agriculture and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences -- offer teacher education. Cheryl Achterberg, dean of the College of Human Sciences, serves as director of teacher education at Iowa State.
Achterberg and Tom Andre, professor and chair of curriculum and instruction, attended a State Board of Education meeting last week to present UTEP for reaccreditation approval. The Board voted unanimously for reaccreditation without further debate.
The accreditation team had made a campus site visit last October.
"The accreditation visit provided an opportunity for reflection and growth. We are particularly proud of the commitment of UTEP faculty and staff," said Achterberg. "Their dedication to the development of tomorrow's teachers is to be commended."
About 1,600 teacher education students are enrolled at Iowa State annually -- producing about 350 graduates each year. The program generates $12 million in tuition annually.
The Iowa Department of Education highlighted the following UTEP efforts in its reaccreditation report:
- "Cooperating teachers and principals report that student teachers are well prepared in content, theory, teaching strategies, and planning. They report that ISU is rigorous, with strong expectations and appropriate supervision."
- "Students report that professors model their theories and are supportive, responsive, caring and prompt."
- "Student teachers who were observed by team members appeared confident, warm, professional, articulate and knowledgeable."
The reaccreditation comes at a critical time for developing teachers throughout the state. In a recent report to the ISU President's Council, Achterberg reported that there has been a sharp increase in math and science requirements to graduate from Iowa high schools in 2010 -- and yet there is a shortage of math and science teachers.
"As Iowa's premier university of science and technology, we need students who are well prepared for these disciplines. So preparing teachers in this area not only fits with the strengths and mission of the university, but it is critical to university recruitment today and tomorrow," she said.
"Put very simply, the present circumstances present us with a challenge and opportunity that belongs to the entire university. We aim to have the best teacher preparation program in the State of Iowa, with a special focus on math and science."
