GVSU Education Programs News
GVSU Educator Programs Up for National Review
March 10, 2026
Grand Valley State University's Educator Programs are undergoing a CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) national accreditation review in March 2026. The review process reflects GVSU's ongoing commitment to producing highly qualified educators. CAEP is a national organization that evaluates the quality of teacher and educator preparation programs.
CAEP accreditation:
- Validates the quality of educator preparation at GVSU.
- Confirms strong partnerships between GVSU and local schools and communities.
- Demonstrates that GVSU values and supports meaningful, real-world clinical experiences for its candidates.
- Ensures that teacher candidates meet rigorous national standards before entering the classroom.
In short, CAEP accreditation confirms that GVSU prepares educators who are ready to make a positive impact in Michigan's wide variety of classrooms and schools, from birth through 12th grade.
Programs Under Review
GVSU has prepared teachers and educational leaders since 1964. The 2026 CAEP review covers both initial teacher preparation and five advanced graduate programs:
- Initial Undergraduate Teacher Certification
- Initial Graduate Teacher Certification (GTC)
- K-12 School Administration
- Central Office Administration
- Special Education Administration
- Reading Specialist
- and School Counseling.
If you are a current student, a GVSU graduate, or a school district partner, there's a good chance the program you're connected to is part of this review.
A Culture of Continuous Improvement
At the center of GVSU's Educator Preparation Programs is a robust Quality Assurance System (QAS) that drives continuous program improvement. Rather than waiting for an accreditation review to evaluate how programs are performing, GVSU systematically collects, analyzes, and acts on data throughout each year. This includes collecting feedback from multiple stakeholders: faculty, teacher candidates, program completers, employers, and PK-12 school partners.
The QAS is designed to ask (and answer) hard questions about program effectiveness and identify ways to continuously improve the program.
- Where are candidates excelling?
- Where do programs need to improve?
- What do employers and program completers say about preparation quality?
The answers inform real decisions about curriculum, clinical field experiences, and program design. This commitment to data-driven, continuous improvement means GVSU isn't just preparing for a review every seven years. GVSU’s Education Programs are constantly working to best serve our candidates, and the students our completers teach.
What Happens During the Review?
On March 23rd through March 25th, 2026, a team of six national reviewers from CAEP will conduct a virtual site visit. The visit is the culmination of a rigorous, multi-step process. GVSU first submitted a comprehensive Self-Study Report in 2025, CAEP then provided formative feedback, and GVSU responded with a detailed Addendum. This back-and-forth reflects the depth and transparency the accreditation process demands. Together, GVSU's Self-Study Report and Addendum total over 207 pages of written narrative and 145 pieces of supporting evidence that document how GVSU's Educator Preparation Programs meet each of CAEP's standards.
During the virtual site visit in March, the CAEP Evaluators will interview faculty, current Education candidates, alumni, and school and community partners to gain a well-rounded, real-world picture of GVSU's programs in action. Following the visit, CAEP is expected to announce its accreditation decision by the end of 2026.
Transparency Through Shared Data
GVSU believes that accountability doesn't stop at the classroom door. Program outcome data is made publicly available and shared our community. Everyone connected to educator preparation can see how GVSU's programs are performing and how they continue to improve over time. You can explore GVSU’s public data at gvsu.edu/education/accreditation.
Why It Matters
Whether you are a current or prospective student, a school district that partners with GVSU, or invested in education, this accreditation process affects you. When GVSU's programs meet CAEP's rigorous national standards, GVSU educators can confidently walk into Michigan's classrooms prepared to make a real difference. Ultimately, students across our region receive high-quality education from the educators GVSU prepares.