SEMO earns AAQEP accreditation for educator preparation programs

Southeast Missouri State University educator preparation programs were recently awarded a five-year initial accreditation from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), the university announced Tuesday, March 18.

The AAQEP Accreditation Commission issued its decision to accredit SEMO’s program following a self-study and peer review. According to a news release from the university, the commission found the educator preparation program “prepares candidates to work effectively as professional educators who can adapt to different contexts and continue to grow professionally.”

“Earning AAQEP accreditation for our Educator Preparation Programs at SEMO signifies our unwavering commitment to excellence in the preparation of teachers, school counselors and administration,” Buddy Alberson, associate dean of educator preparation at SEMO, said in the release. “It ensures that our programs meet rigorous standards for quality, accountability and continuous improvement. Ultimately producing highly effective educators who are well-prepared to make a lasting impact in classrooms, schools and communities.”

National accreditation assures program quality through a standards and evidence-based process that aims to determine accountability and continuous improvement.

SEMO’s programs were previously accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), but the university’s goal of “fostering stronger connections within the educator preparation community” drove officials to seek accreditation elsewhere.

For more information about SEMO’s educator preparation program, visit www.semo.edu/edprep.