In order to achieve high standards of excellence, we encourage the development of teachers who are knowledgeable, skillful, caring, inclusive, ethical and professional. The philosophy, goals and purposes of our programs are consistent with professional standards established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as required for approval of programs to prepare candidates for teacher licensure and for reciprocal licensure through the Interstate Certification Compact. They are designed to meet or align to national standards, including the standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (now known as CAEP), standards of specialized professional associations, the Five Core Propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and the National Education Association (NEA) Code of Ethics.
Letters of Accreditation, Approval, and Recognition
CAEP Accreditation Press Release
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Program Approval
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Sheltered English Immersion Approval
Conceptual Framework (Full Document)
Educator Preparation Program Data
Aggregated data for all Massachusetts approved educator preparation programs, including Framingham State University, is published on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.
Framingham State University Educator Preparation Program General Data
Framingham State University Initial and Advanced Licensure Programs
Institution Data: Faculty and Staff Data
Cost of Attendance: FSU Tuition and Fees
CAEP Accountability Measures
More than 180 years after our founding as the nation's first public college for the education of teachers, Framingham State University's (FSU) Education Department continues to meet the highest national standards for teacher preparation.
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is a national accreditation agency monitoring quality of educator preparation programs. CAEP voted to grant accreditation status to all of FSU’s educator preparation programs at the initial licensure and advanced levels. The national accreditation runs through 2028.
CAEP accredited educator preparation providers are required to demonstrate evidence that completers are meeting rigorous performance expectations. Below are the four annual reporting measures:
Measure 1: Completer effectiveness and Impact on P-12 learning and development (Component R4.1)
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) provides data indicating how program completers are evaluated in their first year of employment. Educator licensure program completers from Framingham State University’s programs included in the latest analysis of data (2010-2019) performed better than the state average.
- 92% of educators prepared at Framingham State University were evaluated as Proficient or Exemplary (compared with 89% of educators across the state in the equivalent licensure areas).
- Detailed ratings by program are found here: Indicators of Teaching Effectiveness *
We also examine data provided by DESE showing the impact of Framingham State University’s program completers on student learning and development. In their first year of teaching, our completers produced ELA and Math Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) with an average similar to (but slightly higher than) educators across the state in equivalent licensure areas.
- Completers of Framingham State University’s preparation programs produced ELA SGPs with an average of 47.83 (compared to the statewide average of 47.48).
- Completers of Framingham State University’s preparation programs produced Math SGPs with an average of 47.89 (compared to the statewide average of 45.91)
- Detailed ratings by program are found here: Impact on P-12 Learning and Development
Measure 2: Satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement (Components R4.2|R5.3 | RA.4.1)
The Education Department conducts an annual survey of K-12 administrators who supervise FSU teacher candidates. The survey asks the administrators to evaluate teachers’ preparation reflecting elements of the professional standards. Employers rate our program completers highly in key areas of performance. 100% of respondents rated our completers at the “Acceptable” or “Meets Target” levels of the survey on the following items:
- The teacher designs and implements lessons that incorporate the use of technology to enhance student learning.
- The teacher uses an understanding of individual differences to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
- The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and development to improve practices.
- The teacher understands how to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving.
- The teacher seeks opportunities to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members.
For more detailed data, please see here: Satisfaction of Employers and Employment Milestones
The latest survey results from the K-12 Massachusetts public school partners measured the satisfaction of the collaboration and impact on the FSU partnership.
Survey Statement %Agree or Somewhat Agree
FSU evaluates our partnership and takes steps to improve and sustain it. | 93.3% |
Our partnership with FSU has a positive impact on the academic/social emotional outcome of our PK-12 students. | 93.3% |
I would recommend other schools/districts to form a partnership with FSU. | 93.3% |
Measure 3: Candidate competency at program completion (Component R3.3 |RA3.4)
The 2021 Title II Report includes data that FSU reported to the US Department in October 2021. For other data elements, such as the admission requirements for each teacher preparation program and descriptions of the state's alternative routes to a teacher credential, FSU reported on the most current information available. Program completers for the 2020-21 academic year had an 82% pass rate for the MTEL subject area tests (see Title 2 report) a requirement for teacher licensure. This rate reflects a temporary change in our MTEL policies, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020, all program completers were required to pass all MTELs as a graduation or program completion requirement, leading to a 100% pass rate. During the pandemic, we have allowed students to graduate or complete their programs without having passed all required MTELs. This has ensured that the next generation of teachers can continue to move forward into classroom teaching positions under an emergency licensure, or in other roles, while completing their remaining MTELs.
FSU Teacher Candidates | MTEL PASS RATE |
All program completers, 2020-21 | 82% |
For more detailed information by program, view the reports below:
Measure 4: Ability of completers to be hired in education positions for which they have prepared
This DESE report provides the percentage of program completers who were employed in a Massachusetts public school or district by June of the report year. The most recent data available are from the 2018-19 year, in which 81.1% of Framingham State University’s licensure program completers were employed in a Massachusetts public school. Some of the highest levels of employment are found in the following areas:
FSU Program | % Employed in a MA Public School |
English, 5-8, Initial, Baccalaureate | 100% |
Mathematics, 8-12, Initial, Baccalaureate | 100% |
Moderate Disabilities, PreK-8, Initial, Post-Baccalaureate | 100% |
Reading Specialist, Initial, Post-Baccalaureate | 100% |
English as a Second Language, PreK-6, Initial, Post-Baccalaureate | 100% |
To learn more about employment rates in all of our program areas, see below: