The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) relies heavily on the outcomes of national provider accreditation and national program recognition to affirm provider accreditation and program recognition. To achieve the necessary balance of state and national accountability, the State Board of Education (SBE) has adopted standards, policies, and practices unique to the state as well as the standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Standards unique to the state are based on state law, state regulations, and State Board–approved policies and guidelines. State standards are intended to ensure that educator preparation programs provide candidates with the preparation they need to meet these requirements.
Currently all state-accredited educator preparation providers must meet CAEP standards. All programs related to PK–12 educator preparation must either meet program-level standards recognized by CAEP, the standards of another nationally recognized accrediting agency, or the program-level standards established by the SBE.
To learn more about educator preparation accreditation requirements, please visit:
