Education Department Makes the Grade

Siena College’s education department has been re-accredited without conditions by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

“The NCATE process afforded us an opportunity to reflect upon our current practice regarding teacher preparation. It allowed us to re-examine our entire program, and to build from our strengths to remedy any perceived weaknesses,” said Director of Field Experience and Accreditation Ralph DiMarino. “It was also very gratifying to have an outside organization such as NCATE validate what we believed to be true – that we offer an outstanding teacher preparation program here at Siena College.”

During a three-year re-accreditation process led by Department Chair Robin Voetterl, Ed.D., the education department demonstrated its commitment to preparing students for careers in the education field and for meeting national professional standards. NCATE uses a performance-based system to ensure the development of competent classroom teachers and other educators at all grade levels. Throughout the process, institutions must provide evidence that their students know the subject matter they will be teaching and can use effective teaching methods to connect with the children.

“The process of going through NCATE accreditation was like a formative assessment of my own teaching,” said Schenectady High School social studies teacher and Siena College adjunct education professor Chris Ognibene ’92. “It forces us, as professionals, to look at the way we run our courses, structure curriculum and evaluate students.”

Siena is one of 632 colleges of education to earn NCATE accreditation. It will maintain the re-accreditation for a seven-year term.  

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