Oct 06, 2024  
ACE Catalog - Volume 34 
    
ACE Catalog - Volume 34 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Accreditation and Approvals



College Accreditation

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in nursing offered by American College of Education are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Higher Learning Commission

American College of Education is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois, 60604; 1-800-621-7440). The College’s accreditation includes approval to offer degree programs through distance education via the Internet.

Program Accreditation

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

In May 2020, American College of Education’s Professional Education Programs were granted Accreditation at the initial-licensure level and advanced-licensure level through Spring 2027, for a period of seven (7) years. Accreditation for seven (7) years is granted if the EPP meets all CAEP Standards and components.

The College’s initial-level programs, M.A. in Elementary Teaching, M.A. in Secondary Teaching, Certificate in Transition to Teaching in Elementary Education, and Certificate in Transition to Teaching in Secondary Education, have been accredited for a period of seven (7) years, ending in Spring 2027.

The College’s advanced-level program, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, has been accredited for a period of seven (7) years, ending in Spring 2027.

Information on the College’s accreditation status can be found here.

State Approvals 

Indiana Board for Proprietary Education

American College of Education is authorized by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Indiana Board for Proprietary Education in accordance with Indiana Administrative Code IC 21-18.5-6-12 and is approved to offer all programs listed in the College Catalog.

State Agency approvals to offer the Baccalaureate and Master’s Degree in Nursing programs (BSN to MSN, RN to BSN, and RN to MSN)

Some states require the review and approval of a post-RN program by the specific state agency before it can be offered within a state. ACE has obtained State Agency program approval to offer the Baccalaureate and Master’s Degree in Nursing programs (BSN to MSN, RN to BSN, and RN to MSN) from the State Agency listed below:

Florida
Florida Commission for Independent Education
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
888-224-6684 (Toll Free)
850-245-3200

Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Post-Secondary Education Commission (GNPEC)
2082 East Exchange Place Suite 220
Tucker, Georgia, 30084-5305
770-414-3300
 

State Agency exemption to offer the Baccalaureate and Master’s Degree in Nursing program (BSN to MSN, RN to BSN, and RN to MSN)

Because ACE offers a post-RN Nursing program online and does not have a physical presence in the state and is an approved member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), ACE is either exempt from or otherwise not required to obtain State Board of Nursing program approval to offer the Baccalaureate and Master’s Degree in Nursing programs (BSN to MSN, RN to BSN, and RN to MSN) from the following states listed below.

Alaska, Alabama Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

 

Professional Licensure

American College of Education offers five graduate degree programs, five certificate programs, and four course sequences for endorsement that prepare students for licensure eligibility or the addition of certain content areas to an existing license.*

  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership
  • Master of Education in English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education
  • Master of Education in Teaching English Learners
  • Master of Arts in Elementary Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching
  • Transition to Teaching in Elementary Education
  • Transition to Teaching in Secondary Education
  • Certificate in Teaching English Learners
  • Certificate in Texas Educational Leadership
  • Certificate in Virtual Instruction
  • Bilingual Education Endorsement
  • English as a Second Language Endorsement
  • Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement
  • Elementary Education Endorsement
  • Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBSI) Endorsement

 

The following state agencies have approved the listed programs as preparing students for licensure or the addition of certain content areas to an existing license in their state.

Arizona Department of Education, State Board of Education

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program offered by American College of Education is approved by the Arizona Department of Education as leading to an Arizona Standard Professional Principal PreK-12 certificate.

Arizona Department of Education
1535 West Jefferson Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602-542-5393
 

Florida Department of Education Bureau of Educator Certification

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program offered by American College of Education has been approved by the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification as a preparatory program for persons applying for Certification in Educational Leadership to be eligible to receive certification as a school principal in Florida.

Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Educator Certification
Suite 1514, Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
800-245-0505
 

Indiana Department of Education, State Board of Education

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program offered by American College of Education is approved by the Indiana State Board of Education as a preparatory program for persons applying for the addition of the Building Level Administrator (P-12) content area to their license.

The Master of Arts in Elementary Teaching and Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching and the Certificate in Transition to Teaching (T2T) graduate programs are approved by the Indiana Department of Education for an initial teacher license, with the T2T graduate certificate programs leading to an initial elementary generalist teaching license and initial secondary teacher license in Indiana.

Indiana has other teaching licensing requirements, including but not limited to the passage of a pedagogy exam for the level of license sought, certification in CPR/AED/Heimlich training, and receipt of a Suicide Prevention Training certificate.

The certificate in Teaching English Learners is approved by the Indiana Department of Education for the addition of the English Learners content are to one’s existing Indiana teaching license.  The addition of English learners’ content to one’s existing Indiana teaching license requires coursework and testing.  You can access a list of these areas here.

The certificate in Virtual Instruction is approved by the Indiana Department of Education.  Certificate outcomes are designed to meet Indiana’s standards for the addition of the Virtual Instruction content area to an existing Indiana license.

Indiana Department of Education
State Board of Education
South Tower Street, Suite 600
115 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 232-6610
 

Ohio Department of Higher Education

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program offered by American College of Education is approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education as a preparatory program for persons apply for Ohio Building Principal Licenses (grades PK-6, grades 4-9, and grades 5-12).

The M.Ed. in English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education program, and the M.Ed. in Teaching English Learners program and the Certificate in Teaching English Learners offered by American College of Education is approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education as leading to the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) K-12 endorsement. 

Ohio Department of Higher Education
30 East Broad Street, 36th Floor
Columbus, OH  43215-414
614-466-6000
 

Texas Education Agency

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program and the Certificate in Texas Educational Leadership offered by American College of Education is approved by the Texas Education Agency as a preparatory program leading to an administrator/building principal certification in Texas.

Texas Education Agency
William B. Travis Building
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
512-463-9734
 

Course Sequence Approval

For the Addition of Certain Content Areas to an Existing State License

Illinois State Board of Education

The Illinois State Board of Education has approved specific courses and sequences as meeting the coursework requirements for an endorsement to an Illinois professional educator license in the areas of Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, Elementary Education, Learning Behavior Specialist 1, and Early Childhood Special Education. 

Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. 1st Street
Springfield, IL 62777
866-262-6663

A Note on Licensure, Certification and Endorsements

I acknowledge that the requirements for professional licensure, certification, endorsement, salary increase, and related employment benefits vary from state to state and district to district and change frequently and without notice. ACE program completers seeking such benefits may be required to satisfy additional state or district specific requirements. While ACE makes every reasonable effort to remain abreast of state licensure or upgrade requirements, the College neither implies nor guarantees that the completion of an ACE degree or certificate program will result in eligibility for licensure, certification, endorsement, salary increase, certificate content/level upgrade or related employment benefit in any state. Prospective students are strongly advised to confirm the benefit(s) for which they may be eligible upon completion with their state’s licensure agency or Department of Education prior to enrolling in an American College of Education degree or certificate program.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) has negotiated licensure reciprocity agreements among states. This means that if you earn teacher or administrator licensure in Indiana, you may be able to gain licensure in in the state in which you live or intend to teach or administrate. NASDTEC agreements can be found on the NASDTEC website.

 

*Graduates of programs which are approved to lead to licensure, endorsement, or certification may be subject to additional requirements for the receipt of initial licensure, endorsement, or certification in the state in which students intend to teach or administrate.  Students are responsible for confirming whether they are eligible for licensure, endorsement, or certification in the state in which they intend to teach or administrate. It is vitally important that students know and be continually aware of the requirements for licensure, endorsement, or certification in the state in which they intend to teach or administrate.