IUP's Spanish education program has received full recognition from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and accolades from reviewers for its “exemplary teacher preparation program.”
The review process is part of the College of Education and Educational Technology's commitment to continued accreditation by the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Each program in the college is being reviewed by specialized accreditation agencies through NCATE, the professional accrediting organization for schools, colleges, and departments of education in the United States.
The Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognize NCATE as a professional accrediting body for teacher preparation.
In the most recent evaluation of IUP's program, ACTFL reviewers noted that IUP's program reflects “strong academic preparation and required study abroad experience, providing evidence of a well thought out program.” Reviewers also recognized IUP's students for having extensive field experience in a variety of settings and working with highly qualified supervisors and mentor-teachers.
“I would like to thank Dr. Eileen Glisan, coordinator of Spanish education for grades kindergarten through twelve; Dr. Keith Dils, associate dean for Teacher Education; and Dr. Jeff Fratangeli, NCATE assessment coordinator, for their work on this accreditation project,” Dr. Mary Ann Rafoth, dean of the College of Education and Educational Technology, said.
In 2006, IUP's College of Education and Educational Technology received unconditional continuing accreditation from NCATE and was recognized for exceeding the NCATE standards.
At that time, the Spanish education program was recognized by ACTFL as “the new face of language education” and as “a model for other foreign language education programs.”
The ACTFL represents educators who are committed to building language proficiency in kindergarten students to adult learners. It provides advocacy, professional development opportunities, resources, and other opportunities for members.