A strong foundation for
Ontario’s teaching profession

The College’s Accreditation Committee supports the quality of teacher education programs in Ontario through the regular review and accreditation of these programs.

The accreditation process assures the profession and the public that teacher education programs meet the requirements established under regulation, integrating theory and practice so that graduates are prepared and qualified for today’s classrooms.

An accreditation panel - which has a minimum of six members, including one person nominated by the institution administering the program under review – is appointed by the Accreditation Committee to review each pre-service teacher education program. Existing programs are reviewed cyclically, usually every seven years, to confirm that the program continues to meet regulatory requirements.

After examining all documents submitted by the faculty and submissions provided by members of the public, panel members normally visit the campus. They conduct on-site interviews with faculty members and various stakeholders, examine artifacts and review facilities and resources. The panel then develops its report, setting out its recommendations and detailing its supporting evidence. The Accreditation Committee considers the information provided in the panel’s report, and renders its decision.

Pre-Service Programs Reviewed in 2009

In 2009, a number of teacher education programs in Ontario were reviewed by accreditation panels established by the Accreditation Committee.

The Accreditation Committee:

• granted initial accreditation to the addition of a concentration in the Intermediate/Senior divisions to the Master of Teaching program of professional education offered by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT)

• granted general accreditation to the multi-session program of professional education in Technological Studies, leading to a Bachelor of Education or a Diploma in Education, offered by the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor

• granted general accreditation to the concurrent teacher education program with concentrations in the Primary/Junior and Junior/Intermediate Divisions offered by the School of Education, Laurentian University

• granted general accreditation to the consecutive program with a concentrated study of the Primary/Junior divisions offered by the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. Additionally, the Committee granted accreditation with conditions to the proposed addition of Junior/Intermediate concentrations to the program

• granted general accreditation to the consecutive program with areas of concentration in the Primary/Junior and Intermediate/Senior divisions offered by the College of Education at Niagara University in Ontario

• granted general accreditation to the consecutive program, including a concentrated study of the Primary/Junior, Junior/Intermediate and Intermediate/Senior divisions, the concurrent program including a concentrated study of the Primary/Junior and Junior/Intermediate divisions, and the Multi-session Aboriginal Teacher Certification Program leading to a diploma at Nipissing University. Initial accreditation with conditions was granted to Nipissing’s new Multi-Session Teacher of Native Language as a Second Language: Algonquian (Ojibwe) Program leading to a diploma

• removed conditions on the concurrent and consecutive programs of professional education with concentration in the Junior/Intermediate divisions offered by the Department of Education of Redeemer University College.

Accreditation reports of professional teacher education programs are posted on the College web site.

A New Accreditation Committee

Changes to Accreditation Committee membership took place following the installation of the new College Council in July, and included the election of a new Chair and Vice-Chair for the committee.

Additionally, several long-serving members of the committee retired, or were replaced. A two-day committee orientation session was held in August.

Guiding Principles for Accreditation Committee Decisions

Initial work by the new committee included the development of “Guiding Principles for Accreditation Committee Decisions.” This framework for the committee’s work sets out seven key principles that guide the committee’s work, including transparency, accountability, and the duty to protect the public interest.

Accreditation Panel Training

In October, the College trained 19 participants, including members of the College Council, Accreditation roster members and members of the profession to serve on accreditation panels over the next three years. Participants explored many aspects of the College’s regulatory authority and procedures for the accreditation of pre-service teacher education in Ontario.

Revision of the Accreditation Regulation

Amendments made to the Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs Regulation in 2008 extended the accreditation period for pre-service programs awarded general accreditation from 5 years to 7 years. The amendments also enabled extending or shortening the accreditation period for all programs of professional education by mutual agreement with the Accreditation Committee.

Last year, the College worked with faculty deans to harmonize the review of their programs, so that a faculty’s various programs are all reviewed at the same time.

College representatives, both committee members and staff, and the Ontario Association of Deans of Education successfully collaborated to this initiative.

On April 1, 2010, further amendments to the Regulation will come into effect allowing the Registrar to review submissions for accreditation of additional qualification courses through a sampling process.

In anticipation of this change, the College began work with providers to harmonize the accreditation expiry dates of courses to facilitate the sampling process.