The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Education (COE) has been awarded a full seven-year accreditation for its educator preparation programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
After an exhaustive review of evidence collected through self-study and peer review, AAQEP announced their decision for the COE’s initial teacher licensure programs and advanced-level graduate programs during its June 25 meeting.
“Our AAQEP accredited programs engaged in a rigorous multi-year process that allowed us to highlight our strengths, showcase innovative practices, and identify areas for further improvement,” stated COE Director of Assessment, Accreditation, and Accountability Jessica Miranda. “This was a team effort that would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our program assessment coordinators, AAQEP self-study writing team members, and exceptional COE community.”
AAQEP President and CEO Mark LaCelle-Peterson commended the college’s programs for giving careful attention to systematically using evidence for improvement and to meeting individual candidate and community needs. He cited the COE master’s and doctoral programs for extending opportunities for graduate study not only across Hawaiʻi but throughout the region to American Sāmoa and other island communities. He also noted that the COE has the first doctoral programs to ever be accredited by AAQEP.
“The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Education’s innovative application of AAQEP standards to these research-focused programs provides a framework for acknowledging successes and strengthening ongoing efforts toward the creation of a distinctively Hawaiian place of learning,” LaCelle-Peterson said.
National accreditation assures the quality of professional preparation programs through a nongovernmental, nonregulatory process of self-study and peer review. This standards- and evidence-based process serves to ensure accountability and continuous improvement. The AAQEP model is also designed to honor local context and foster innovation and collaboration among institutions.
COE Dean Nathan Murata said, “The recent AAQEP announcement for a full 7-year accreditation for both our initial teacher licensure and advanced programs is fantastic news during this challenging time for all. I am proud of our award-winning programs, which are a testament to our faculty, staff, and students who excel at the highest level. We continue to collect, monitor, and evaluate our data systems in order to maintain our high level of quality education.”
About AAQEP
Founded in 2017, AAQEP is a membership association and quality assurance agency that provides accreditation services and formative support to all types of educator preparation providers. The organization promotes excellent, effective, and innovative educator preparation that is committed to evidence-based improvement in a collaborative professional environment. There are members in 27 states and territories with more than 150 educator preparation providers participating in the accreditation system. AAQEP is nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.About the COE
The COE is committed to preparing tomorrow’s educators, researchers, trainers, counselors, and professionals at all levels. Its rich history and values are guided by a sense of purpose and sense of place, providing educational research, policy studies, curriculum development, professional development, allied health care, educational services, and teacher and educational leader preparation programs. The college envisions a Native Hawaiian place of learning and teaching sustained by a collaborative community of educators and professionals who contribute to a just, diverse, and democratic society and prioritize the educational well-being of the Native Hawaiian people and others across the Pacific.
Visit the COE Accreditation page.
