HPU Stout School of Education Programs Earn Full National Accreditation

HIGH POINT, N.C., June 27, 2023 – High Point University’s Stout School of Education earned full seven-year accreditation from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) for both undergraduate and graduate degrees, which include teacher, principal and superintendent licensure programs.

HPU’s undergraduate education degrees have previously maintained accreditation, but master’s and doctoral degrees in a variety of fields have recently been added during HPU's transformational growth. Because of that, this is the first time the school applied for accreditation of its M.Ed. in Educator Leadership and Ed.D. in Education Leadership programs, said Amy A. Holcombe, dean of the Stout School of Education. 

“We are honored that a well-respected national accreditation organization, AAQEP, closely examined our programs of study, partnerships, faculty qualifications and impact results and concluded that the Stout School of Education delivers a highly rigorous program for teacher, principal, and superintendent preparation,” said Holcombe. “Earning an education degree from High Point University means that you are prepared to achieve improved outcomes for students. We are so proud of our students, K-12 partners and faculty for receiving this accreditation designation and look forward to the continued expansion and growth of our programs.”

After reviewing evidence collected through a process of self-study and peer review, the AAQEP Accreditation Commission issued the decision at its May 19 meeting along with the following rationale:

- The commission determined that all four AAQEP standards are met. The program prepares candidate to work effectively as professional educators who can adapt to different contexts and continue to grow professionally. The university maintains program quality by analyzing evidence of its effectiveness and making revisions to benefit candidates.

- HPU engages with stakeholders and partners to strengthen the education system. It secures resources to support preparation and professional growth for school and district leaders that benefits schools and districts throughout the state.

“Congratulations to High Point University and to all the faculty, staff and stakeholders who have achieved their goal of national accreditation by AAQEP,” said AAQEP President and CEO Mark LeCelle-Peterson. “The program’s commitment to strengthening and diversifying the educator workforce extends to securing resources to support candidates financially as well as programmatically.”

National accreditation assures the quality of professional preparation programs through a nongovernmental, nonregulatory process of self-study and peer review. This standards and evidence-based process serves two broad aims: accountability and continuous improvement. The AAQEP model is also designed to honor local context and foster innovation and collaboration among institutions. Founded in 2017, AAQEP has members in 35 states with 190 education preparation providers participating in the accreditation system.