Accreditation
National Accreditation since 1988
Grand Valley State University's initial Education programs were recently reviewed by CAEP (the national Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation), and were awarded Full Accreditation in October 2019. The Education initial programs will remain accredited by CAEP through December 31, 2026.
Prior to receiving CAEP accreditation, the College of Education and Community Innovation's Education programs were nationally recognized and accredited by NCATE (the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) from 1988 through 2019.

List of Programs Accredited by CAEP
CAEP's accreditation of Grand Valley State University's initial teacher preparation programs covers the accreditation of the following programs:
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Undergraduate Education program, leading to initial teacher certification.
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Graduate Teacher Certification (GTC) program, leading to initial teacher certification.
CAEP Accountability Measures
CAEP has four CAEP Accountability Measures that GVSU is required to report on annually. These measures provide information to the public on both Grand Valley State University's Education program outcomes and program impact.
Measure 1: Completer Impact and Effectiveness
Impact on P-12 Learning and Development
All Initial Certification Candidates conduct a pre-test and post-test with P-12 students during two units of instruction. The results provide data on the impact each candidate has on the P-12 classroom.
- 2021 P-12 Completer Student Impact
- 2020 P-12 Completer Student Impact
- 2019 P-12 Completer Student Impact
- 2018 P-12 Completer Student Impact
- 2017 P-12 Completer Student Impact
Teacher Internship Rubric Data
During GVSU teacher candidate internship semesters, candidates are evaluated by their mentor teacher(s), their university field supervisor, and themselves. Candidates are evaluated on their internship performance and their professional dispositions.
Survey of Initial/Undergraduate Completers:
At the conclusion of each initial/undergraduate teacher candidate's preparation program, Michigan Department of Education (MDE) surveys the teacher candidates on their effectiveness as candidates.
- 2020-2021 GVSU Teacher Candidate Survey Report
- 2019-2020 GVSU Teacher Candidate Survey Report
- 2018-2019 GVSU Teacher Candidate Survey Report
- 2016-2017 GVSU Teacher Candidate Survey Report
- 2015-2016 GVSU Teacher Candidate Survey Report
Survey from GVSU Supervisors on Initial/Undergraduate Completers:
At the conclusion of each initial/undergraduate teacher candidate's preparation program, Michigan Department of Education (MDE) surveys both the university field coordinator/supervisor on the effectiveness of the candidates.
Measure 2: Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholder Involvement
Administrator Survey
In 2021, MDE began to issue an annual Administrator Survey to P-12 Employers, which provides institutional data on the satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement. Prior to this survey, the Michigan Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) developed a survey in 2017 that was sent to area principals and administrators in 2017 and 2019. This data was reported by Grand Valley State University biennially in odd numbered years.
- 2020-21 Administrator Survey Results
- 2019 Principal Survey Data Report
- 2017 Principal Survey Data Report
Principal Advisory Board Feedback
The college's Center for Educational Partnerships hosts a Principal Advisory Board meeting at least once per year that brings area school principals and administrators to the college to discuss the teacher preparation program and updates in the field.
EPI Score Report
The Educator Preparation Institution (EPI) Score Report is issued by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). It comprises three measures: (a) Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification (MTTC) content/subject area tests, (b) Survey data collected from candidates and university supervisors, and (c) Teacher effectiveness ratings for program completers.
Measure 3: Candidate Competency at Program Completion
MTTC Pass Rates for Title II Report
In the first few months of each calendar year, the initial Education programs are required to report on their completers from September 1st through August 31st of the previous academic year. For example, the 2020 Title II Report reflects back on the 2018-2019 academic year. The Title II Federal Report website provides information on Grand Valley State University's Education program completers.
Additionally, Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Annual Institution Reports for Grand Valley State University are available below for the following program years:
- MTTC Data 2020-2021
- MTTC Data 2019-2020
- MTTC Data 2018-2019
- MTTC Data 2017-2018
- MTTC Data 2016-2017
- MTTC Data 2015-2016
- MTTC Data 2014-2015
- MTTC Data 2013-2014
- MTTC Data 2012-2013
- MTTC Data 2011-2012
- MTTC Data 2010-2011
- MTTC Data 2009-2010
- MTTC Data 2008-2009
Rubric Data from EDI 430/EDI 431 and GTC Program's EDI 685
During GVSU teacher candidate internship semesters, candidates are evaluated by their mentor teacher(s), their university field supervisor, and themselves. Candidates are evaluated on their internship performance and their professional dispositions.
Graduation Rate for Undergraduate Teacher Education:
Graduation rate: 99.3%
(Students awarded a bachelor's degree within three years after admission to the Education program during the 2017-2018 academic year)
Graduation Rate Graduate Teacher Certification:
Completion rate: 85.0%
(Students completing all requirements to earn a Michigan Standard Teacher Certificate after admission to the Education program for the 2019-2020 cohort)
Effectiveness of Initial Candidate Completers
Michigan public school principals evaluate all teachers and assign one of four labels: Highly Effective, Effective, Minimally Effective, and Ineffective.
Grand Valley State University program completers receiving the Highly Effective or Effective labels:
- 2020-2021: 99.3%
- 2019-2020: 98.5%
- 2018-2019: 97.5%
- 2017-2018: 97.3%
- 2016-2017: 95.0%
Measure 4: Ability of Completers to be Hired in Education Positions for Which They Have Been Prepared
Employment data from the Michigan Department of Education's Year Out Survey provides responses from alumni:
- 2020-2021 Alumni Year-Out Employment Data
- 2019-2020 Alumni Year-Out Employment Data
- 2018-2019 Alumni Year-Out Employment Data
- 2016-2017 Alumni Year-Out Employment Data
- 2015-2016 Alumni Year-Out Employment Data
Year Out Report on Preparation of Completers:
- 2020-2021 Alumni Year Out Survey Report
- 2019-2020 Alumni Year Out Survey Report
- 2018-2019 Alumni Year Out Survey Report
- 2016-2017 Alumni Year Out Survey Report
- 2015-2016 Alumni Year Out Survey Report
Survey of Graduate Completers:
For graduate programs, Grand Valley State University surveys all students at the completion of their program.
Student loan default rates and other consumer information:
GVSU Student loan default rates information:
Tuition rates information:
- Tuition Rates for Grand Valley State University
- Michigan Association of State Universities Reports on Tuition and Fees
Teacher Salary information:
Education Publications
From 2003 through 2016, the college published an Annual Report for the Education program. This report detailed Education faculty, staff, and student achievements, projects. Archived copies of the Annual Report are stored in the College of Education and Community Innovation Dean's Office.
In 2017, the Annual Report was merged into Colleagues magazine. Colleagues is a periodical produced by the college's Center for Educational Partnerships. The magazine invites students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members to contribute articles relating to the field of education. Colleagues magazine informs its readership of Education happenings and current practices in the field of education. Special ‘topic-driven’ issues (race, poverty, special education, etc.) are produced on an intermittent basis.
Michigan Department of Education Program Approvals
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) periodically reviews Grand Valley State University's Education programs. MDE maintains a list of approved educator preparation programs offered by Grand Valley State University.
List of Nationally Recognized Programs
In addition to CAEP accreditation, the following programs at Grand Valley State University have gone through SPA (specialized program association) review and have received national recognition.
College of Education Programs
- Cognitive Impairment: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- Early Childhood Education: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- Educational Leadership: National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA)
- Education Specialist: National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA)
- Educational Technology: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
- Elementary Education: Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)
- Emotional Impairment: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- Learning Disabilities: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- Reading Specialist: International Literacy Association (ILA)
- Special Education Administration: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Programs
- Art Education: National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
- Biology: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- Chemistry: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- Earth/Space Science: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- English: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
- French: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
- German: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
- Integrated Science Elementary: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- Integrated Science Secondary: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- Mathematics Middle School (K-8): National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
- Mathematics Secondary (9-12): National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
- Music Education- K-12: National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
- Physics: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- Spanish: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
Affiliations
Grand Valley State University’s Education programs maintain memberships or affiliations with the following organizations: