The University of Tennessee at Martin Educator Preparation Program has earned accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the only national accreditor for education preparation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
The CAEP Accreditation Council held its spring 2026 review in April, during which 39 providers were approved under rigorous, nationally-recognized CAEP teacher preparation standards.
“Achieving CAEP accreditation reflects the hard work and collaboration of our faculty, staff, candidates, alumni, P-12 (preschool to 12th grade) partners and community stakeholders,” said Staci Fuqua, director of the UT Martin Educator Preparation Program. “I am incredibly grateful for the dedication and support they provided throughout this process and for their continued partnership in preparing highly qualified, classroom-ready educators.
“This accomplishment speaks to the quality of our educator preparation program and the collective commitment of those who work every day to prepare exceptional teachers.”
The UT Martin EPP is currently the largest producer of classroom teachers in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Board of Educator Preparation Report Card for February 2026.
UT Martin has prepared 772 teachers in the most recent three-year cohort. UT Martin graduates are employed in public school districts across almost every region of the state, demonstrating the program’s broad impact on Tennessee’s P-12 education workforce.
UT Martin is also a leading producer of teachers in high-demand endorsement areas for secondary science (biology and chemistry), helping schools address critical staffing needs.
Through strong partnerships with school districts and multiple pathways spanning early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education, and specialized K–12 fields, the UT Martin EPP plays a strong role in ensuring Tennessee schools have access to well-prepared, highly qualified educators.
CAEP is a nationally-recognized 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.
Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of the CAEP standards, which are based on two principles:
• Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators, and
• Solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.
Including EPPs approved in spring 2026 receiving CAEP accreditation, there are more than 500 CAEP-accredited providers. These schools span 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
For more information about the UT Martin Educators Preparation Program, visit www.utm.edu/epp.
For more information about UT Martin, visit www.utm.edu or call 1-800-289-UTM1 (=8861).
PHOTO: Lily Wilkerson of Joelton, a summa cum laude graduate of UT Martin last May with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree, is shown doing her student teaching last February. UT Martin’s Educators Preparation Program was recently accredited by the nationally-recognized Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
