Western Governors University's teachers college has received full accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

It marks the first time a nontraditional educational institution has received the designation. The nonprofit university was created by governors of 19 states in 1997. In 1999, the first students began to take classes from WGU.

Last year WGU applied for NCATE accreditation after the group changed some of its criteria.

Traditionally, members of the council's board of examiners visit a campus and collect data. But WGU was the exception to the norm.

"Our university is national in scope," Schmidt said. "So they had to go to various parts of the country."

The board still met with faculty and current students. Board members also met with students who are doing their student teaching, principals and other employers. A Web site was created so students could write in and be part of the evaluations.

"It's always exciting to get NCATE-accredited," said Philip Schmidt, director of curriculum and instruction at WGU. "It's a national teacher college accreditation, and it's the one that's most highly recognized."

Schmidt stressed that NCATE standards did not change.

In 2001, NCATE began to revise its system of accreditation and recognized that quality online programs were being developed, said Arthur Wise, president of NCATE.

"We changed some of the methods of data collection," he said. "It is about what candidates can and do as a result of what the institution could offer."

Some 4,500 students in 50 states are enrolled in WGU's teachers college.

The university's other programs also have students in 50 states, 10 foreign countries and three U.S. territories. It is also accredited by several other institutions.

For more information about WGU visit www.wgu.edu.

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