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Center for Assessment and Accreditation
Welcome to The Center for Assessment and Accreditation (CAA) website at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). The College of Education (COE) is home to the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) unit. The unit comprises initial and advanced programs, which include 32 initial professional education programs that lead to the baccalaureate degree and/or initial certification, 19 advanced professional education programs that lead to the Master’s in Education or Master’s in Art degree (M.Ed. or M.A.), and four advanced professional education programs that lead to the Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy degrees (Ed. D. or Ph.D.).
Accreditation
The purpose of accreditation is to ensure institutional effectiveness and quality assurance that the higher education institution provides programs that meet or exceed targeted levels of quality. Accrediting agencies are educational associations of regional or national scope that develop standard-based evaluation criteria, peer evaluated to assess whether or not those criteria are met. When the institutions and/or programs requesting accreditation meet the criteria or standard, they are then "accredited" by that agency (U.S. Department of Education, 2011).
Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and the SHSU Educator Preparation Program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Through the process, the whole institution is examined to determine how well the parts work together to enhance student learning.
A voluntary method of quality assurance, accreditation is designed to distinguish schools adhering to a set of educational standards. Accreditation is a significant achievement stating an institution’s quality of education while building capacity to improve student learning and facilitate continuous school improvement.
Assessment
The College of Education (COE) Educator Preparation Program employs an integrated approach to ensure an assessment system that collects prescribed program related information about candidates their potential, and standard-based proficiencies related to the conceptual framework, state, regional, and national standards, through curriculum alignment. The capacity and effectiveness of the assessment system is evaluated on a regular basis. Systematically, Data are collected, analyzed, and evaluated to facilitate continuous improvement.
The College of Education (COE) faculty values assessment as an essential part of teaching and learning. Assessment plays a critical role in the Unit’s efforts to improve the performance of educator candidates and academic programs. The COE works collaboratively internally and externally with other colleges, universities, and stakeholders to develop and then refine an assessment system that reflects the standards of the profession addressing the assessment needs of initial and advanced programs of study within the Unit.
Accountability
The COE is committed to accountability and transparency by reporting performance data, updated on a regular basis, on the CAA website (see Key Outcomes). Critical to all stakeholders, performance data are an important feature of accountability at SHSU supporting a culture of continuous improvement in our Educator Preparation Programs.
The high standards of accreditation, assessment, and accountability benefit the candidate, the organization, and the public, indicating value in the degree and confidence in the worth of the Educator Preparation Programs.
Thank you,
Dr. Marilyn M. Butler, Director
The Center for Assessment and Accreditation
Contact Information
Garrett Teacher Education Center
Room 274-E, Box 2119
Huntsville, TX 77341
Office phone: 936-294-1956
e-mail: center_for_assessment_and_accreditation@shsu.edu
