Committees at Work

Accreditation Committee


This Annual Report for 2019 provides an overview of the activities of the Accreditation Committee related to the third Object of the Ontario College of Teachers Act, “to accredit professional teacher education programs offered by post-secondary educational institutions.”

The College’s Accreditation Committee ensures high-quality programs of professional education to prepare Ontario’s teachers, through program review and accreditation. A rigorous review process assures the public that Ontario’s teacher education programs meet the standards set out in regulation.

The Accreditation Committee appoints an accreditation panel to review each initial teacher education program in Ontario. New programs are reviewed before they can be offered to teacher candidates, and existing programs are reviewed every seven years to confirm that they continue to meet standards and requirements.

In the reviews, panel members examine documents submitted by the program provider. Panels also visit program sites when considering a program for accreditation renewal. The panel interviews program faculty and stakeholders, examines materials, and reviews facilities and resources. Members of the public are always provided with an opportunity to offer feedback about the programs under review.

After the review, the panel develops its report, and sets out its recommendations and the evidence it considered. The committee considers the information in the panel’s report and issues an accreditation decision.

An empty classroom 

Accreditation Reviews

In 2019, the committee considered three initial teacher education program reviews for accreditation of the following programs:

  1. Faculty of Education at Brock University:

    • Consecutive program of professional education with areas of study in the Primary/Junior, Junior/Intermediate and Intermediate/Senior divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree

    • Concurrent program of professional education with areas of study in the Primary/Junior, Junior/Intermediate and Intermediate/Senior divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree

    • Consecutive and multi-session consecutive programs of professional education with areas of study in Technological Education subjects at the Grades 9/10 and Grades 11/12 levels, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree or certificate

  2. L’École des sciences de l’éducation at Université Laurentienne:

    • Consecutive program of professional education with areas of study in the Primary/Junior, Junior/Intermediate and Intermediate/Senior divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree [French-language program]

    • Multi-session consecutive program of professional education with areas of study in the Junior/Intermediate divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree [French-language program offered by partial or full distance education]

    • Concurrent program of professional education with areas of study in the Junior/Intermediate divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree [French-language program]

  3. Faculty of Education at Lakehead University:
    • Consecutive program of professional education with areas of study in the Primary/Junior and Intermediate/Senior divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree

    • Concurrent program of professional education with areas of study in the Primary/Junior and Intermediate/Senior divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree

    • Concurrent program of professional education that combines studies in Indigenous education with areas of study in the Primary/Junior divisions, leading to a Bachelor of Education degree (Indigenous Teacher Education)

    • Consecutive and multi-session consecutive programs of professional education with an area of study in teaching Native Languages, leading to a Diploma in Education

In late 2019, the faculties of education at Brock University (Aboriginal Bachelor of Education program) and University of Ottawa (English-language program) submitted applications for renewal of the general accreditation of their programs. These reviews will occur in 2020.

Monitoring Programs with Conditions

When the Accreditation Committee issues its decision it may:

  1. Grant accreditation without conditions.
  2. Grant accreditation with conditions if the committee finds that the program does not fully satisfy the requirements for accreditation.
  3. Deny accreditation of the program.

When a teacher education program is accredited with conditions, the faculty provides the Accreditation Committee with a plan for satisfying the conditions, followed by annual reports that describe their progress. Faculties may also request that the committee remove conditions from accredited programs.

In 2019, there were no teacher education programs accredited with conditions. The Accreditation Committee did not receive and review any plans or annual reports for satisfying conditions.

Students tying their sneakers

Substantial Change Decisions

The Accreditation Committee received and reviewed substantial change requests, and requests for additions to programs, for the following four providers:

  1. Faculty of Education at Queen’s University:

    • Addition of a focus on the teaching of French as a second language in the Primary and Junior divisions to the consecutive and concurrent programs

    • Addition of a multi-session mode of delivery to the consecutive program of professional education with areas of study in Technological Education subjects at the Grades 9/10 and Grades 11/12 levels
  2. Faculty of Education at York University:

    • Addition of an area of study in the Junior/Intermediate and Intermediate/Senior divisions in the subject First Nations, Métis & Inuit Studies to the consecutive and concurrent programs of professional education
  3. Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto:

    • Modification to the credit count of the professionally accredited program components of both consecutive programs of professional education
  4. Western University, Faculty of Education
    • Modification to the assessment practices of the consecutive program of professional education

The committee approved the changes and additions to the programs at Queen’s University, York University, the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and Western University.

In late 2019, the faculty of education at the University of Windsor submitted an application to add an area of study. The review of this addition to program will occur in 2020.

Accreditation Resources

In order to balance rigour, consistency and efficiency in the review process for accreditation, staff continuously improve resources and practices. In 2019, resources were refreshed and translated to align the streamlined accreditation processes for English- and French-language providers. All translations reflect regulatory language and sector-specific terminology.

To situate the work of accreditation in an era of Truth and Reconciliation, the Accreditation unit has prioritized developing culturally responsive interview and site visit practices. The unit is committed to enabling an overall accreditation experience that is culturally responsive when working with Indigenous education programs and participants. Professional learning, specifically led by Indigenous scholars, will continue to inform further resource development and refinement.

Committee Professional Development

Presentations were provided in support of continuous professional development for the Accreditation Committee. Timely orientation and training are embedded in committee meetings with respect to regulatory and legal considerations. Topics included transition to teaching analysis, evidentiary writing and mitigating risk.

Public Input

The College invites public input regarding the teacher education programs under review. An email notification tool on the College website allows members of the public to learn about upcoming accreditation reviews and offer input on the quality of the programs for the panel’s consideration. Social media outreach throughout the accreditation review provides the public with opportunities to offer input to the panel. For the first time, in 2019, an Ojibwe version of the poster advertising opportunities for public submissions was produced and used for an accreditation renewal.

Accreditation

  • Paige Bennett, OCT (e) (Vice-Chair)
  • Jean-Luc Bernard, OCT (a) (to June 30, 2019)
  • Susan E. Elliott-Johns, OCT (e)
  • Rebecca Forte, OCT (e)
  • Vincent Rinaldo (a) (from February 15, 2019)
  • Colleen Landers (a) (Chair)
  • Mary-Anne Mouawad, OCT (e)
  • Tom Potter (a)

(a) = appointed
(e) = elected