Rockbridge Teacher Education Consortium Among 38 Educator Prep Providers Recognized for National Excellence

By Brian Laubscher
May 16, 2024

The Rockbridge Teacher Education Consortium (RTEC), a partnership between Washington and Lee University and Southern Virginia University, has received accreditation for its teacher preparation program by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

The consortium is one of 38 providers to meet the rigorous, nationally recognized accreditation standards developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

"These institutions meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after graduation," said CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. "Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider."

CAEP is a nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation and accredits providers at the initial and advanced levels. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation.

"Receiving full accreditation from CAEP, the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation, is an incredible honor," said Haley Sigler, director of education studies and associate professor at W&L. "This recognition acknowledges the incredible shared work of our faculty, students and K-12 community partners to create the next generation of teacher leaders. We appreciate our RTEC director, Rebecca Perini, for her tireless work and guidance through the rigorous process."

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles: solid evidence that the provider's graduates are competent and caring educators and solid proof that the provider's educator staff can create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.

The Rockbridge Teacher Education Consortium joins 37 other providers to receive accreditation this fall, bringing the total number to 559 CAEP-accredited providers from 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.