Case Study: National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Identifying Strengths and Opportunities for NCATE's Accreditation Programs
CHALLENGE 
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is known across the country as the organization that sets the standard for excellence in teacher education and preparation. Until recently, however, it was lacking the data necessary to ensure that it was fully meeting the expectations of its accredited institutions and that it was setting the right strategy for future tools, programs, and services.
NCATE sought McKinley Marketing’s expertise in devising a research plan that would::
- Measure accredited institutions’ satisfaction and identify strengths and opportunities related to NCATE’s accreditation programs
- Capture perceptions of formerly accredited institutions regarding NCATE tools, programs and services
- Help NCATE understand institutions’ needs
- Provide solid data to ensure satisfaction and strategically plan for the future
APPROACH
McKinley’s research strategy started with telephone interviews to institutions from a number of different sectors. McKinley followed up on its qualitative phase with a quantitative phase, consisting of two separate electronic surveys for accredited institutions and formerly accredited institutions. Impressive response rates for the surveys – 56% and 29% respectively – enabled NCATE staff and board members to have a high level of confidence in the data that McKinley collected.
The research revealed that NCATE is recognized as an accreditation leader and that interview and survey participants believe the organization is committed to improving the accreditation process. However, the data also pointed to opportunities to streamline the accreditation process, provide more consistency across accreditation teams, improve communications with accredited institutions, and improve overall perception of value. A cross-tabulation analysis also revealed a contrast in opinion among different institutional segments, which became a critical point of understanding for NCATE when it came time to discuss implications and recommendations.
RESULTS
To enhance the meaning of the data collected, McKinley offered implications and recommendations to assist NCATE in its strategic planning efforts. These recommendations, along with the survey findings, were presented to a group of NCATE staff in the fall. NCATE is now in the process of working with its stakeholders to implement new approaches to accreditation that match the respondents' needs.
OUTCOMES
“NCATE CEO Jim Cibulka shared McKinley’s findings and recommendations at a meeting of the education association executive directors. His presentation was extremely effective—very professional and clear. Hats off to McKinley’s staff for providing research and recommendations that generated a great discussion with a group of ‘hard-to-challenge’ folks.”
—Nancy Green, CAE
—Executive Director, National Association for Gifted Children