Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education Earns Full Accreditation from CAEP

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education at St. John Fisher University has been reaccredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

The School earned a full seven-year accreditation from the Council, the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation which is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Fisher’s accreditation process included a self-study report and peer review, as well as a virtual site visit in the fall 2025 semester. 

“We are proud to earn seven-year CAEP re-accreditation. This accreditation is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff and their commitment to teaching excellence. They are exceptional professionals who provide our candidates with a quality education that prepares them to be highly capable and ethically responsible educators,” said Dr. Joellen Maples, dean of the School. 

CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. It is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation. This is the second time the School has received continuing accreditation since its initial NCATE recognition in 2006.

CAEP accreditation assesses teacher and leader preparation programs against seven standards: (1) the curriculum’s content and pedagogical knowledge; (2) strength and effectiveness of partnerships for clinical practice and field experience; (3) the quality of candidates recruited and selected into programs; (4) graduates’ ability to have a positive impact on the classrooms and schools in which they teach and lead; (5) the program’s capacity for quality control and continuous improvement; (6) the program’s fiscal and administrative capacity, faculty, infrastructure (facilities, equipment, and supplies) and other resources as appropriate to the scale of its operations and as necessary for the preparation of candidates to meet professional, state, and institutional standards; and (7) a record of compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act. 

The School of Education at Fisher was established in 2003 and offers baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs rooted in the mission of creating educators who are also advocates. Since its opening, more than 3,500 teacher candidates have graduated from the University, and work in school buildings across the country. 

The School offers two undergraduate teaching programs in inclusive adolescence and childhood education. In addition to classroom learning, students engage in 150 hours of field experiences, putting theory into practice as they work with students from diverse backgrounds in a range of grade levels. Student teaching is the culminating experience of the program, where students apply their knowledge and skills in the classroom and exhibit the dispositions necessary to be effective with students. The accreditation also reviewed the School’s Master’s in Inclusive Childhood Education, Master’s in Inclusive Adolescence Education, Master’s in Library Media, and Master’s in Educational Leadership.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.