HIGH POINT, N.C., Dec. 8, 2016 – In a review of more than 800 undergraduate programs, High Point University’s undergraduate elementary program in the School of Education ranks one of the best in the nation.
The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a non-partisan research and policy organization dedicated to ensuring every classroom has a high-quality teacher, found that HPU’s program scored in the top 10 percent of all programs across the country.
“The School of Education was honored to learn that the NCTQ has ranked our elementary education program as one of the best,” said Dr. Mariann Tillery, dean of the School of Education. “This distinction supports the efforts of our faculty to produce quality educators who are well prepared to teach in today’s public school classrooms.
“The ranking is based on a thorough review of evidence regarding the quality of the courses and content taught by our elementary faculty, the strength of our partnerships with the public schools and opportunities provided by the School of Education for our students to engage in clinical practice in the classroom.”
HPU’s School of Education has long been recognized for its excellence. The teacher education programs meet the requirements of both the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the North Carolina State Board of Education.
The Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education builds on the most current body of knowledge relevant to teaching practices in K-6 classrooms. Undergraduate courses focus on the new Common Core State and N.C. Essential Standards, technology, and interdisciplinary curriculum.
Students enrolling in the elementary education program of study are offered many opportunities beginning in their freshman year, when they first begin to practice their skills in the surrounding school districts. Advanced study through the Elementary B.A. to M.Ed. program with concentrations in literacy or STEM is also available for academically qualified students beginning in their senior year.
Earlier this year, HPU’s School of Education also received a state grant, managed by the North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development, to begin the High Point Leadership Academy in January 2017. The grant will prepare and support highly effective school principals in North Carolina.