ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education underwent a recent accreditation review by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and passed with flying colors.
The CAEP site review team was on campus in early December for four days interviewing students, faculty, administrators and school partners. The Accreditation Council met in April to review the site team’s findings and the self-study evidence presented by the College of Education.
The review found that Winthrop’s educator preparation program met all initial and advanced standards with no areas for improvement cited, which is a rare accomplishment, according to Winthrop officials.
Interim President George Hynd noted that the accreditation shows that Winthrop has been on the forefront of education training since the university’s beginning.
“This reinforces Winthrop’s reputation as the ‘flagship’ of teacher education in South Carolina and the region,” Hynd added. “We are proud of the faculty and staff who work tirelessly to ensure that our future teachers are well prepared to make a profound difference in the lives of students.”
The accreditation status is effective for the next seven years.
The educator preparation program consists of all teacher education fields at Winthrop, along with its graduate level educational leadership and school psychology programs. Winthrop provided evidence that quality students are selected for its programs, that its students meet a high level of content and instructional methods, that the program is having a positive impact as its graduates are employed in schools, and that the program has a quality assurance program that leads to ongoing improvements.
Reviewers also examined Winthrop’s school partnerships and field-based experiences provided to its students. The university has a School Partnership Network with nine school districts in the region and 50 schools in those districts.
Education Dean Jennie Rakestraw celebrated the news and shared the credit with those who collaborate with the university. “We offer a heartfelt thanks to our valued school partners including those in the Winthrop University-School Partnership Network—for their continuous engagement in our shared business of preparing educators for P-12 teaching and learning,” she said.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
