Contact: Sammy McDavid
Mississippi State's graduate degree program in school administrator training is among a limited number achieving a new level of national accreditation.
The university's educational leadership curriculum for principals and assistant principals is one of 42 now designated as an NCATE Nationally Recognized Educational Administration Program, a specific and formal designation.
NCATE is the acronym for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. In giving its approval, the Washington, D.C.-based organization seeks to improve the quality of departments, schools and colleges of education by using standards developed by researchers and practitioners.
A voluntary peer-review process, NCATE accreditation must be renewed every five years.
Ned Lovell, head of MSU's educational leadership department, said some 290 universities and colleges offering programs in educational administration choose accreditation through NCATE. Of those, Mississippi State is among only 95 institutions that have participated in the educational leadership approval process since it was established in 1966.
"Through the combined hard work and dedication of our faculty members and College of Education leadership, we now proudly join the ranks of the 42 'nationally recognized' programs," he added. "While it brings us much satisfaction, the greatest benefit will be to our graduate students training to be school administrators."
Lovell said the American Association of School Administrators recommends that school districts hire graduates from the "nationally recognized" list of schools. The association also suggests that its members obtain advanced degrees from these programs.
MSU is among three Mississippi institutions in the select company, Mississippi College and University of Southern Mississippi being the others.
In the Southeast, only Arkansas and Louisiana also have schools in the top group.