Parkersburg, W.Va. (May 28, 2020) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s Elementary Education program has achieved accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for meeting rigorous national standards for excellence in teacher preparation.

As the sole nationally-recognized accrediting body for educator preparation, CAEP advances equity and excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.

Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards based on the principles that its graduates are competent and caring educators, and its educator staff can create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer. CAEP review occurs every seven years for programs that have met all standards set by the accrediting body.

“WVU Parkersburg’s Elementary Education program’s commitment to excellence in preparing tomorrow’s teachers was verified by the outstanding accreditation report received from CAEP,” said Dr. David Lancaster, professor and chair of the Education Division, WVU Parkersburg. “I’m so proud of our nationally accredited program for having the highest quality and lowest tuition in West Virginia.”

WVU Parkersburg’s Elementary Education program gives teacher candidates the option of securing a teaching certificate to teach all subjects in grades K-6 for any state in the United States. Students can also choose to specialize in content areas for grades 5-9, including English, General Math – Algebra I, Social Studies, Science and PreK-K.

Established in 1992, WVU Parkersburg’s teacher education program has an exceptional record of state and national accreditation approval.

To learn more about WVU Parkersburg’s Elementary Education program, contact the Center for Student Services at admissions@wvup.edu or 304-424-8310.