Accreditation
Cameron University Educator Preparation is dedicated to program improvement through use of a robust assessment system, which systemically integrates the analysis of data by all stakeholders for the purpose of program improvement. Program data are collected and generated through the year. Program faculty analyze candidate data, identify areas for improvement and areas of strength, and develop and track progress on related action plans for program improvement for the following purposes:
Monthly
- Educator Preparation Council meetings – reviews of pertinent data by a group of program faculty, initial and advanced candidates, and P-12 partners.
Annually
- Program Quality Improvement Report (PQIR) – an internal report that is reviewed by leadership and peer-reviewed by Cameron faculty members from outside the Department of Education
- Advisory Boards –meetings for each program involving program faculty, candidates, program completers, school-based faculty, and employers
- CAEP Annual Report – a review of select data provided to CAEP (including this website, updated each April)
- OEQA Annual Report – a report focused on meeting state requirements
- Title II Annual Report – a report focused on federal expectations and requirements
Every Seven Years
- Program/State Program Review – a check of each program’s ability to meet national program standards occurring every seven years
- CAEP Full Review – a check that all of educator preparation is meeting national standards occurring every seven years
All Cameron educator preparation programs are recognized at the state and/or national level by the following:
Full Unit - programs included at the time of last review: (initial) Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, English Education, Music Education, Social Studies Education, (advanced) Educational Leadership, and Reading Specialist.
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) – 2022 Full Accreditation
- Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality & Accountability (OEQA) – 2022 Full Accreditation
Individual Programs
- National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) – 2018 – Music Education
- Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality & Accountability (OEQA) – 2019 – Educational Leadership, Elementary Education, English Education, Reading, Social Studies Education
Cameron’s strengths identified by accreditors across all programs include collecting and analyzing candidate data, using data for continuous improvement, collaboration with stakeholders in an “extraordinary way,” and the comprehensive use of writing and reflection activities focused on helping Cameron students support diverse learners. During the most recent state program review, Cameron’s English Education program was awarded accreditation with distinction, the highest level possible.
Educator Preparation at Cameron University is incredibly proud of our responsiveness to recent local, national, and world events. We have effective systems in place that enable us to involve all stakeholders in a timely way to make necessary adjustments and changes. These have been especially notable as we have faced teacher shortages, a global pandemic, and social issues. Our dedicated faculty are committed to continued learning and growth for themselves and candidates which has led to necessary changes in curriculum and instruction such as trauma-informed instruction, dyslexia, anti-racism/abolitionist teaching, and virtual/digital instructional design. Cameron Ed Prep has worked to lead from the heart as we all dealt with the pandemic. This has meant regular and clear communication, some flexibility for field experiences, attention to well-being, and flexibility all while maintaining the rigor that makes our program effective.
CU has embraced the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards and received full accreditation status in Fall 2022. The following information is required as part of the CAEP annual report. Typically ed prep data are examined after being aggregated by program, broken down to the component level, and presented with ranges of scores as opposed to simple mean scores. This allows all reviewers to make a thorough review as they are better able to identify patterns of strength and weakness in the data. While the data reported annually to CAEP is aggregated, please know that the data has been examined at a finer level for the purpose of improving Cameron’s education programs.
