Karen Lowenstein, President and CEO

I am grateful and excited to begin my service as president and CEO of AAQEP this month, 9 years after the organization’s founding. This time of transition presents an opportunity for reflection on not only the work we do as an accrediting agency but also who we are as a community.

A core part of AAQEP’s mission is supporting the professional development of the individuals who engage in educator preparation accreditation and continuous improvement. Beyond providing the concrete benefits of training and resources, we aim to cultivate the conditions that foster professional growth and collaboration. 

When you participate in AAQEP’s monthly cohort calls, quality assurance reviews, and peer-reviewed conferences and publications, you are more than a spectator. You are a valued contributor in an interconnected community. Engaging in meaningful improvement that honors context, celebrates successes, and inspires local sense-making requires deep self-reflection and a trusted network of peers for support.

At a recent accreditation decision meeting, I was inspired to hear the program leader acknowledge peers from other providers in his state as well as in his AAQEP cohort. He thanked them for their generosity with shared insights and ideas that had informed the design of his program’s self-study. His comments revealed a willingness to lead with humility and to view this community as a source of expertise and support.

This spring, AAQEP surveyed members about the value of their engagement with the organization and what outcomes they have realized, or hope to realize, related to professional growth and collaboration. Responses indicated that being part of a community, giving back, becoming a stronger leader, and building productive professional relationships are goals that resonate and have come to fruition for many of you. (See additional highlights from the member survey below.)

As AAQEP enters its 10th year, I am inspired by the remarkable community and culture you have helped us build. I look forward to our next collaboration!

Last Call for Symposium Proposals

Thank you to everyone who applied this spring to serve on the AAQEP Editorial Board, Events Committee, and Membership Committee! Congratulations to the newly appointed members starting their terms July 1:

Editorial Board

• Amy Croel-Perrien, Ferris State University (MI)
• Lynze Greathouse, Southern Arkansas University
• Brian Hibbs, Dalton State College (GA)
• Kenny Varner, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Events Committee

• Jeanne DelColle, The College of New Jersey
• Jeremy Hayden, Grand Canyon University (AZ)
• David Hill, University of Michigan-Dearborn
• Karin Sprow Forté, Penn State Harrisburg (PA)

Membership Committee

• Buddy Alberson, Southeast Missouri State University
• Lindy Gaudiano, Grand Canyon University (AZ)
• Stacey Stanberry, Southern Arkansas University

This year, AAQEP will be implementing two adjustments to our annual reporting timelines: 

1. The 2026 AAQEP Annual Report and membership update will open October 1, as usual, but will close January 15, 2027, instead of at the end of December. This extension aims to support established reporting patterns while minimizing members’ need for technical support during AAQEP’s and Weave’s holiday breaks.
2. Newly accredited programs’ first required Annual Report will be for the year following their site visit, not the year following their decision meeting, beginning with this fall’s visits. This change will help avoid a lengthy gap in reporting for programs that host a fall visit and have a decision in the new year.

You can learn more about Annual Reports on this webpage and at a webinar in October, or contact Sungti Hsu with questions.

Welcome New Members

Site Visits and Logistics

Writing an Accreditation Proposal for your next review?

The next deadline is August 15. You can view a recent recording of our Writing the Accreditation Proposal webinar here, find related resources on our proposals resource page, and contact us with any questions.

Summer Cohorts

Regular monthly cohort meetings are on hiatus until September, but if you’d like to check in this summer, we have two options in August. Sign up through the links below:

• Tuesday, August 11, 3:00-4:00 p.m. EDT
• Wednesday, August 12, 4:00-5:00 p.m. EDT

Congratulations to the educator preparation providers that earned AAQEP accreditation in the past 2 months:

• Abilene Christian University (TX)
• Catawba College (NC)
• Central New Mexico Community College
• Grand Canyon University (AZ)
• Marshall Teacher Residency (CA)
• Muskingum University (OH)
• Texas Woman’s University
• University of Houston-Clear Lake (TX)
• University of Michigan-Dearborn

For links to action reports and a complete list of AAQEP-accredited programs, visit https://aaqep.org/accredited-programs.

Interview: How to Use Pass Rate Data to Satisfy AAQEP Standards 1 & 2


Earlier this year, AAQEP’s Christine DeGregory sat for a video interview with Amanda Turner of ETS about how providers can use candidates’ pass rate data on Praxis tests, supported by ETS Data Manager services, to satisfy AAQEP Standards 1 and 2.

View the video

AAQEP on the Road

In June, Sungti Hsu joined Sean Kottke of the Michigan Department of Education to present lessons from the AAQEP-MDE partnership at the NASDTEC annual conference in Indianapolis.

Franklin College (IN) education faculty work on an activity focused on the newer aspects of the AAQEP standards during a consulting visit with Christine DeGregory in June.