Register for the 2022 Symposium |
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Registration is now open for the 2022 Quality Assurance Symposium, to be held on the virtual Whova platform March 22-24. As always, AAQEP offers a registration discount for members, and another 20% discount is available to groups of 6 or more from the same organization or institution.
Save even more when you register by the Early Bird deadline!
Sign up by November 19 to save $30 per person.
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Fall Learning Opportunities |
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A note from Christine DeGregory, Director of Professional Learning
We have some great online opportunities for you this fall, no matter where you are on your journey through accreditation and continuous improvement!
To support the main stages of AAQEP's accreditation cycle, we offer no-cost Quality Assurance Review Webinars on a regular basis. You can find their titles, descriptions, and registration links as well as a recording of the most recent sessions on your login-protected Access Member Events page.
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Fall Member Quarterly: "Practical Approaches to Data"
Tue., Oct. 5
1:00-2:30 p.m. EDT
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Collaborative Conversation: "Using Benchmarks to Monitor Candidate Progress"
Tue., Oct. 19
1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT
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We also host regular opportunities for you to learn from and with each other in free webinars featuring member voices. Two of these are coming right up in October (see info at left and details on their registration pages)—don't miss out! Opportunities like these will continue to be added to your Access Member Events page as details and registration are available.
For deeper engagement on focused topics, we now offer four pairs of online professional learning workshops, again designed to support different sections of your quality assurance and improvement work:
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Making the Case for Quality introduces the AAQEP standards in depth—a great opportunity for anyone new to AAQEP! Part I, focused on Standards 1 and 2 (candidate/completer performance), is especially timely if you are working on an Accreditation Proposal. Part II, with a focus on Standards 3 and 4 (program practices), will set you up for the rest of your self-study.
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Ensuring Data Quality and Equity is useful as you work on your self-study design and plan for Appendix E of your Quality Assurance Report.
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Using Data to Sustain Improvement assists you in determining if you have the right information for the right purpose—useful for accreditation and beyond! Learn how you can use improvement science as a framework for an action plan that supports continuous improvement.
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Quality Implementation focuses on implementing a continuous improvement process in your organization and how to model and cultivate leadership techniques that establish and support a continuous improvement culture.
Don’t forget, as members, you receive a discount on any registration fees and additional savings if you bring a team of 6 or more.
Whether you are already accredited or just getting started on your AAQEP journey, we look forward to supporting you and seeing you soon!
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Congratulations on Your Accreditation!
Congratulations to the following institutions on receiving AAQEP accreditation in July and August:
- Eastern Oregon University
- Hawaii Pacific University
- University at Albany: School Leadership Preparation Program
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University at Albany: Literacy and Special Education Programs (with commendation)
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University of Oregon (with commendation)
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Westminster College (with commendation)
In all, 43 providers now have AAQEP-accredited programs. Kudos!
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Meet the Commission
A note from Mark LaCelle-Peterson, President and CEO
Ever wonder who actually makes accreditation decisions for AAQEP? While their work may not be highly visible outside of your own decision meeting, the professionals who volunteer their time and expertise on the Accreditation Commission play a critical role in the AAQEP accreditation system.
The commissioners all complete the same AAQEP training and follow the same decision rules, yet they also bring unique perspectives from different sectors of our field and country. Did you know that:
- The 14 commissioners come from 11 states. The three states with more than one representative are Michigan, New York, and Utah—which, not coincidentally, are three of the states that most actively engaged in AAQEP's early development and were the source of our first members.
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Speaking of AAQEP's founding, Commission Chair Joe Lubig (Northern Michigan University) was instrumental in the early design, cochairing our original process working group.
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Commission Vice Chair Sylvia Read of Utah State University also helped shape AAQEP from the start—not only as a member of the consistency working group but also as leader of the first member to become AAQEP-accredited in 2019.
- In fact, half of the current commissioners have experienced "wearing the other hat" in a decision meeting, having led their own programs through AAQEP accreditation.
- Commissioners come from programs with diverse sizes and missions, including large research universities, regional institutions, and small private colleges in urban and rural settings. We also have commissioners with current or recent experience working in state departments of education, P-12 districts and classrooms, and other accrediting organizations.
- Three commissioners hold a joint appointment to AAQEP's Board of Directors (as required in our bylaws). Several also have been appointed to serve on new Board committees overseeing the review of AAQEP's standards and process. And some of them also serve as peer reviewers of Accreditation Proposals, on Quality Review Teams, as AAQEP ambassadors, and/or on the Events Committee. (They're a busy bunch!)
Commissioners are appointed by the AAQEP Board of Directors and generally serve 4-year terms. They meet in small groups, via videoconference, to consider just a few cases at a time, ensuring that each case is read carefully and analyzed thoroughly.
So when can you meet these wonderful people? You will see (or have seen) some of the commissioners at your own program’s decision meeting—as part of our commitment to transparency, their meetings are open to the program and the home state’s education department or standards board representatives. And if you attend the AAQEP Quality Assurance Symposium, you will have an opportunity to attend the Commission's concurrent session and ask them questions, for a change!
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Site Visits & Logistics Updates
A note from Sara Hiller, Director of Accreditation Services
All of the fall 2021 reviews are under way! Everything is still being conducted virtually through spring 2022, but we will resume on-campus site visits just as soon as it's safe to do so. (If you're planning to host a site visit in fall 2022 or thereafter, please plan on it being on-site! It's easier to shift plans from on-site to virtual than in the other direction.)
Here’s a quick overview of where the action is in the current AAQEP accreditation cycles:
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For spring 2021, all accreditation decision meetings are now complete. The semester’s actions included full accreditation for 18 programs, 5 with commendations. To view the action reports and a chronological record of the Accreditation Commission’s actions, click here.
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For fall 2021, reviews are well under way. Currently most teams are working on their off-site review meetings, but the first site visit was already completed last week!
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For spring 2022 reviews, logistics calls are under way, and I will start contacting all of you to confirm your Quality Review Teams soon. Friendly reminder: Your Quality Assurance Reports and local practitioner selection are due 6 months before your scheduled visit date.
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For fall 2022, I will email you in October to start securing site visit dates for next year.
For an overview of the AAQEP accreditation timeline and other member resources, please visit this web page. If you have any questions about the next step in your accreditation review, please email me at s.hiller@aaqep.org.
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Become a Proposal Reviewer
Peer-reviewing proposals is a great way to begin engaging in the AAQEP process
Serve on a Quality Review Team
Engage in quality assurance reviews and see the world*
*virtually, for now
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Please give a warm welcome to our newest members joining AAQEP in the last 2 months:
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Aquinas College (MI)
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Calvin University (MI)
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Molloy College (NY)
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Saint Peter’s University (NJ)
AAQEP membership now numbers 162 educator preparation providers in 27 states and territories. See our searchable member directory for more information.
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Annual Reporting Materials Now Available |
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A note from Sungti Hsu, Chief Relationship Officer
Only the primary contact for your program’s AAQEP membership needs to respond to the report and/or its cover sheet/survey. The full report is required for programs that were accredited before January 1, 2021, but all member programs are asked to complete the brief online survey that also serves as a cover sheet for submitting the full report. (All members are also encouraged to complete the full report if they wish!)
The AAQEP Annual Report is an ongoing component of the quality assurance cycle. In addition to keeping AAQEP informed, it aims to support your own continuous improvement efforts and the development of your next Quality Assurance Report.
Like last year, the 2021 filing materials include three components:
- Cover sheet / brief survey
- Template
- Guidance
Please note that the template contains only minimal instructions, as it’s meant to be posted publicly once completed, so be sure to consult the guidance document as you fill out the template.
All survey responses and completed Annual Reports are due by December 31, 2021. Please contact me with any questions at s.hsu@aaqep.org, or sign up for a free webinar November 2 (see below).
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"Writing the Annual Report" Webinar
AAQEP staff held a webinar last week to answer questions about the 2021 Annual Report. This webinar will be offered again November 2 and is free for all members.
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Hooray! Cohorts Under Way |
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A note from Karen Lowenstein, Director of Member Services
AAQEP cohorts have launched for the 2021-22 academic year. Thanks to all who joined us for September’s cohort meetings, and a special thanks to the generous AAQEP ambassadors who are helping with meeting facilitation.
If your assigned cohort date/time does not work for you, or if you are not sure what cohort you are a part of, please reach out to your AAQEP liaison or email me at k.lowenstein@aaqep.org.
Hope to see you in October (10/12-10/14) when cohorts meet again!
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Reminder: Next Accreditation Proposal Deadline |
Writing an Accreditation Proposal? November 1 is the next quarterly match date for staff to assign peer reviewers to proposals. If you get your proposal in by November 1, you'll have feedback by approximately February 1.
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Nominations for the AAQEP Board of Directors are due by Friday, October 1! Visit aaqep.org for details.
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ICYMI: Recent AAQEP Communications |
If you're new to AAQEP, or just had a busy summer, you might feel the need to review what you've missed. Here are a few highlights from recent communications for your reference:
First, this Member Update newsletter comes out every other month, and AAQEP occasionally sends other all-member news and announcements. If you've missed one recently, you can catch up through these links:
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Second, Linda McKee had an op-ed in Education Week this month suggesting ways for EPPs to help support first-year teachers in this year's uniquely challenging context. AAQEP is proud to have leaders contributing to the national narrative! Check it out here.
Do you have colleagues who are not receiving this newsletter? Please feel free to forward it to them—but they can also sign up to receive it themselves by (a) setting up an AAQEP web account and (b) opting in to emails in their profile settings. See this FAQ page for details.
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Questions? Suggestions? Please reach out at any time to your AAQEP liaison or simply email aaqep@aaqep.org.
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AAQEP — Always improving together |
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