Center for Assessment, Accreditation and Retention

The Center for Assessment, Accreditation and Retention (CAAR) handles daily operations associated with the comprehensive collection of data for analysis and review that leads to continuous improvements at the college, department, and program levels for the College of Education. CAAR provides services and resources connected to all assessment systems, standards, accreditation processes, and student performance and ensure that graduates have received a dynamic education held to the highest national standards.

Key functions of the CAAR include:

  • Ensuring that the college and its departments comply with the assessment standards of relevant accrediting bodies, including the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)
  • Serve as a resource for updated assessment-related information associated with CAEP, CACREP, Middle States, and the Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs) – e.g., National Science Teachers Association, Council for Exceptional Children, etc.
  • Analyze and compile data from campus systems, internal databases, and the  Student Learning & Licensure system to support ongoing assessment, accreditation, and program improvements.
  • Maintain program and College-level data for all educator and non-educator programs.
  • Assist programs with data collection and program reporting associated with the Annual Learning Outcomes report and the University System of Maryland Academic Program review.
  • Development and implementation of the College’s Student Learning and Licensure Assessment and Accreditation Management system
  • Assist with the preparation of Title II, CAEP, CACREP, MSDE, Middle States reports submission and other external data reports. 
  • Convene and provide assessment data for college-wide and district committees
  • Analyze and compile data associated with measurable outcomes and effective planning guided by the mission and goals of the University and College of Education.