NCATE: Frequently Asked Questions About Careers as a Teacher or Other Educator















NCATE works to make a difference in the quality of teaching and teacher preparation today, tomorrow, and for the next century.

Frequently Asked Questions About Careers as a Teacher or Other Educator

What role does NCATE play in the field of education?
I want to become a teacher and am looking at education schools. What does NCATE accreditation mean to me?
What is the benefit of attending an NCATE-accredited college of education?
Must all schools be accredited?
How do I discover which schools are best for me?
The colleges of education I am applying to are well-regarded schools, but they are not NCATE-accredited. Why not?
I want to be a teacher, but cannot afford college tuition. How do I get a loan, grant, or scholarship to a college?
How do I find out which schools offer specific programs? I want to teach science. How do I find the institutions with teacher preparation programs in science?
I live in State A, but am relocating to another state. What should I do to be able to teach in the state where I am relocating?

What role does NCATE play in the field of education?

NCATE is the professional accrediting body for the teaching field. When a college of education becomes accredited, it means that the college has met national professional standards that have answered the question, “what is important in teacher preparation today?” The standards were reached through nationwide consensus of representatives of all education stakeholders—teachers, teacher educators, state and local policymakers, and school specialists. Representatives of these stakeholders visit the college of education and review the performance of its candidates, its programs, structure, and governance to determine if the college meets the NCATE standards. NCATE elevates the entire teaching profession through its standards-setting and review process.

I want to become a teacher and am looking at education schools. What does NCATE accreditation mean to me?

Graduates of NCATE-accredited institutions will be better prepared for new, more demanding licensing expectations. NCATE has aligned its standards with model state licensing standards that many states use. The largest research study to date on teacher qualifications, conducted by the Educational Testing Service and released in 1999, showed that graduates of NCATE-accredited institutions significantly outperform other candidates on state licensing exams. ETS concluded that attending an NCATE institution increases the likelihood that candidates will meet state requirements. In short, you will be well prepared for challenges in the classroom.

What is the benefit of attending an NCATE-accredited college of education?

NCATE accreditation is the profession’s “seal of approval.” It means that the college of education has met national professional standards for the preparation of teachers and other school specialists. Prospective teachers have assurance that programs at the college are up-to-date, relevant, and research-based, and will prepare them well for performance-based licensing examinations.

Must all schools be accredited?

No. Each state determines if colleges of education must become professionally accredited. Accreditation now is voluntary. Many schools seek it to attain a mark of distinction and program excellence. However, one-third of the states require NCATE accreditation of their public institutions. Forty-six states have partnerships with NCATE to increase the rigor of the review of the college of education. As a result of the partnerships, NCATE standards have been adopted or adapted as the state’s standards for all institutions in 26 states.

How do I discover which schools are best for me?

Visit different types of institutions to get a feel for what you are comfortable with. Are you comfortable at a large institution with 30,000 students, or would you feel lost in an institution of that size? Would you like to attend a public or a private university? What is the range of tuition that you can pay? How much are you likely to receive in loans?

Gain as much information as you can from the institution’s website. You can connect to each accredited institution from NCATE’s list of accredited institutions by following the available links to the college’s website. That way, you will be knowledgeable when you talk to representatives of the institution and can ask specific questions that may not have been answered via the website.

Talk to representatives of the colleges of education. If you know the subject you would like to teach, try to schedule an appointment with a faculty member in that area.

The colleges of education I am applying to are well-regarded schools, but they are not NCATE-accredited. Why not?

NCATE-accredited schools produce two-thirds of the nation’s new teacher graduates. A few well-known institutions are not accredited. However, some of those are candidates for accreditation, e.g., Teachers College, Columbia University. Some institutions focus more on degrees in other areas of education, e.g., education policy, rather than on producing well-prepared teachers. In states which encourage institutions to meet professional standards, e.g., North Carolina, more institutions are accredited.

I want to be a teacher, but cannot afford college tuition. How do I get a loan, grant, or scholarship to a college?

The Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-433-3243) maintains information on available student aid. Information on financial aid is also available from the U. S. Department of Education.

CASHE is a free financial aid clearinghouse of information on the Internet containing thousands of private scholarships, grants, internships, fellowships, loans, and more. The CASHE information is for all students, undergraduate through post-doctorate and non-traditional.

Colleges and Universities: Request information from an institution’s financial aid office. The College Cost Book, issued by the College Board, is a guide to finding money to pay for college and applying for aid. It can be found in school career centers or libraries.

Military: The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Website has more information about financial aid opportunities.

How do I find out which schools offer specific programs? I want to teach science. How do I find the institutions with teacher preparation programs in science?

NCATE’s website will provide this information soon.

I live in State A, but am relocating to another state. What should I do to be able to teach in the state where I am relocating?

At this time, eleven states offer reciprocity specifically for NCATE graduates. However, most of these states do require a satisfactory score on the state licensing exam. In states without NCATE reciprocity, the state may have additional requirements. For instance, some states may have specific requirements about things pertaining to that state’s history.

For more information, contact the state department of education in the state where you wish to teach. The state department of education will assess your qualifications and determine what state-specific licensing requirements you must address in order to obtain a license.

Copyright © 1997–2001, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
All rights reserved. NCATE is the professional accrediting organization for schools, colleges, and departments of education in the United States. It is a coalition of over 30 organizations representing teachers, teacher educators, policymakers, and the public.

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NCATE works to make a difference in the quality of teaching and teacher preparation today, tomorrow, and for the next century.