University of Saint Mary Inc.
05/19/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/19/2026 14:05
University of Saint Mary Education Programs Receive Reaffirmation and New Accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
University of Saint Mary Education Programs Receive Reaffirmation and New Accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
May 19, 2026
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(Leavenworth, Kansas) - The University of Saint Mary has received a reaffirmation of its initial programs in teacher education and accreditation for its Master of Arts in School Counseling. This accreditation acknowledges that USM's teacher education and school counseling programs meet rigorous state and national standards for educator preparation.
"CAEP accreditation affirms USM's commitment to evidence-based excellence, continuous improvement, and accountability in educator preparation," said Dr. Cheryl Reding, who serves as chair of the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Education Programs. "This recognition validates the quality of our teacher education and school counseling programs and reflects our dedication to preparing highly qualified, classroom-ready educators who positively impact P-12 student learning and development. The accreditation process also strengthens our data-informed decision-making and quality assurance systems while reinforcing our valued partnerships with P-12 schools and the broader community."
CAEP is a nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass a peer review of the CAEP standards, which are based on two principles:
- Solid evidence that the provider's graduates are competent and caring educators, and
- Solid evidence that the provider's educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.
For more information about USM's teacher education and school counseling programs, please visit https://www.stmary.edu/teacher-education.
About the CAEP
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (https://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.
The University of Saint Mary is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of Saint Mary main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM-Johnson County, at 11221 Roe Ave., offers evening accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs. Visit stmary.edu for more information.
University of Saint Mary Inc. published this content on May 19, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 19, 2026 at 20:05 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]