Centenary Receives TEAC Accreditation

Hackettstown, N.J., September 23, 2010 – Centenary College recently announced that the Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program and the Master’s in Special Education Program have received accreditation status from the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).  Centenary is the first institution in New Jersey to become fully TEAC accredited.

“I am so pleased that Centenary has achieved this very important milestone and to be the first to become fully accredited in the state is an honor,” says Dr. Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite, Centenary College President.  “This process has been a long one and we are proud to have achieved this very important accomplishment.”

As a result of the State of New Jersey’s change to the Professional Licensures and Standards Code for teachers on January 20, 2004, each program of teacher education preparation in the state must become accredited.  Centenary was also the first to become pre-accredited, in 2005.

Preparation for pre-accreditation status involved two years of course revisions and the
development of outcomes assessments in all teacher education preparation courses. In addition, Centenary College was the first in the state to form an interdisciplinary task force to revise courses in subject content areas to comply with State Core Curriculum Content Standards, as well as national professional discipline standards.  As a result, programs have become student-outcomes oriented.  To become accredited, Centenary provided evidence of these activities of the TEAC Accreditation Board, which approved accreditation on September 14, 2010.

TEAC, which is founded in 1997, is a nonprofit national organization dedicated to improving academic degree programs for professional educators, those who will teach and lead in schools, pre-K through grade 12.  TEAC’s goal is to support the preparation of competent, caring and qualified professional educators.  TEAC’s primary work is accrediting undergraduate and graduate professional education programs in order to assure the public about the quality of college and university programs. 

“As a result of this process, our students are being taught in classroom environments that model those expected of professionals in the field of education, but will also provide discipline scholarship that is linked to national benchmarks and the Core Curriculum Content Standards,” says Sandra Genduso, Associate Professor of Education and Chair of the Education Department.  “This program is one that provides our students with experiential learning opportunities, as well.”
About Centenary’s Education and Teacher Certification Program

Centenary College offers teacher certification programs in New Jersey to students who are working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology, English, History, Mathematics, Social Studies and Liberal Arts. The mission of the Education Department of Centenary College is to provide state-of-art programs that promote academic excellence, leadership and professionalism in both future and current educators. 

Centenary College is also known for its innovative approach to teaching special education methodologies to tomorrow’s teachers.  Centenary is one of the first colleges with education programs in New Jersey to provide a dual certification program for general education and special education students. Of all students starting the Practicum experience, 96% successfully complete Student Teaching and graduate from Centenary College with a New Jersey teaching certification.  There are currently 453 students enrolled in Centenary’s education programs.
 
About Centenary College

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College is an independent, coeducational liberal arts and career studies
college distinguished by an accomplished faculty, small class size and diverse student body.  Centenary is the only baccalaureate and master degree granting institution in northwest New Jersey.

Centenary College’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian
facility in Washington Township (Morris County).  The Centenary Adult and Professional Studies (CAPS) program offers accelerated degree completion programs in Parsippany, with an additional facility in Iselin, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.
###