WASHINGTON – The Council for Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP) announced the addition of three new members to the CAEP Board of Directors. These new members, including Dr. Christopher Brown II, Dr. Paul Katnik, and Dr. Judy Hackett, assumed their duties on January 1.
“We are excited to announce the induction of these educational leaders to our Board,” said CAEP President Christopher A. Koch. “These three unique individuals hold a common thread: they are passionate about education and ensuring that teachers and administrators are sufficiently prepared to ensure students of all backgrounds receive equal opportunity in the classroom. On behalf of the Board, I’d like to thank all of you for your contributions to education thus far, and I look forward to hearing your perspectives in our work to come.”
- Dr. M. Christopher Brown II is the 18th president of Kentucky State University and founder of the Atwood Institute on Race, Education, and the Democratic Ideal. He is the author/editor of 18 books and monographs; and the author or co-author of more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and publications related to education and society. Dr. Brown has lectured and/or presented research in various countries on six continents. Dr. Brown earned his Ph.D. in higher education from The Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. in education from the University of Kentucky, and a B.S. in elementary education from South Carolina State University.
- Dr. Judy Hackett has served as superintendent of the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization since 2007. During this time, she’s made strides in special education, advocating for students with disabilities across the state. Having spent more than 30 years in education, Dr. Hackett has served various roles in the field, including her work as a teacher to blind and visually impaired students. She earned her master’s from the University of Illinois and her doctorate in Education Administration from Northern Illinois University.
- Dr. Paul Katnik is the Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Educator Quality, an office within the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education focused on accreditation of educator preparation programs and other issues related to the state’s teacher workforce. He earned his Master’s in educational psychology from the University of Mississippi and his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Katnik holds the Board’s Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) seat.
The CAEP Board of Directors is responsible for creating CAEP policy, handling appointments to the Accreditation Council and various committees, and reviewing the performance and activities of CAEP. The Board is also responsible for approving the organization’s annual budget and independent audits.
CAEP is the sole accrediting body for educator preparation. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. It is a uniform accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all providers focused on educator preparation. Currently, more than 850 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system, including many grandfathered into accreditation under former standards.
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances equity and excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.