UI College of Education earns reaccreditation

IOWA CITY - The University of Iowa College of Education practitioner preparation programs met or exceeded all standards and were reaccredited by the Iowa State Department of Education on July 27, according to Susan Lagos Lavenz, UI College of Education associate dean for teacher education, who led the reaccreditation project.

The state reviewers visited campus in April to learn about programs to prepare teachers, principals, superintendents, school librarians, guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists and speech pathologists/audiologists. They examined the programs to see if they met standards in the following areas: governance and resources; diversity; faculty; program assessment; clinical practice; and candidate knowledge, skills and dispositions.

Reviewers said they were impressed with the college's leaders, innovators and historical legacy.

They also noted that students appreciate the faculty who are knowledgeable, available, flexible and committed, as well as the wide variety of meaningful and purposeful experiences they receive. They added that students felt a sense of community with other students and faculty, and enjoyed the collegial nature and relationship-building focus that is important for leadership development.

The site team also commended the programs for their focus on innovation and leadership in preparing educators to serve in complex and challenging professional fields.