Commission approves new accreditation standards

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma has adopted new accreditation standards for the state's teaching programs that mirror national standards, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation announced.

The new standards coincide with standards adopted this spring by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, said Barbara Ware, chair of the Oklahoma commission.

Three of the new standards focus on qualifications and learning experiences of teacher candidates, requiring that they observe and assist in classrooms before they can participate in practice teaching.

Accreditation also is based on the quality of faculty in education programs and resources available for training teachers.

The Oklahoma commission acts as the independent standards board for Oklahoma schools and colleges. Each program is evaluated every five years with the first reviews under the new standards scheduled for some universities this month.