YSU College of education gets 7-year re-accreditation

Ohio requires that education colleges be accredited by NCATE.
YOUNGSTOWN -- A national accreditation board has voted to grant a seven-year re-accreditation for the Youngstown State University Beeghly College of Education.
About two-thirds of U.S. colleges with teacher-preparation programs hold accreditation from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The YSU college has been accredited since 1967, but NCATE changed standards in 2000, making the re-accreditation process more difficult.
Dean Phil Ginnetti and Assistant Dean Mary Lou DiPillo oversee the 2,500-student college, and they led the re-accreditation process that ended this fall.
"We are elated for our students and our faculty because it gives that added little confidence to everyone in the college that we're doing things right," said Ginnetti, who took over the college's top spot in July 2002. "It's always nice to have someone else tell you that you're doing a good job."
Ohio legislators three years ago mandated that all public universities receive NCATE accreditation. In addition, the new federal No Child Left Behind law requires that teaching candidates graduate from accredited programs. The six intensified NCATE standards include: student knowledge, student skills, field experiences, diversity, faculty qualifications and performance.
"It could've shut us down," said DiPillo, former chair of the teacher education department. "If you don't get this accreditation, you're done."
Thorough process
While Ohio requires the accreditation, NCATE approval is voluntary in many other states.
In April 2003, an eight-member NCATE assessment team -- consisting of deans, teachers, superintendents and other education leaders from across the country -- visited the college. They reviewed samples of student work; interviewed students, faculty and university administrators, as well as area school teachers, principals and superintendents; and visited schools where YSU students work as student-teachers.
"They reviewed every piece of information in the college," Ginnetti said. "They hold your life in their hands. They're extremely thorough."
As a result of the process, Ginnetti said the college has systems in place that he said he hopes will make the next re-accreditation less arduous.
"What we do now is take what we've learned and we work to continue to improve our program," he said, noting that nearly 90 percent of teachers in schools in Mahoning County were educated at YSU. In Trumbull County, nearly eight out of 10 school teachers went through the YSU program.