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Higher‑education accreditation, program reviews: ERC recommends full accreditation for Tabor and moves for new Fort Hays special‑education undergrad program
Summary
The board received Evaluation Review Committee recommendations including full accreditation for Tabor College and continuing/program‑approval actions; ERC recommended Fort Hays State University’s new combined high/low‑incidence special education undergraduate program be approved with stipulation.
The State Board of Education’s Evaluation Review Committee (ERC) presented higher‑education accreditation and program‑review recommendations on June 11, including continuing approvals and a new program proposal for undergraduate special education.
Tabor College: The ERC recommended full accreditation for Tabor College’s educator preparation unit for the full seven‑year cycle. The review team cited standards generally met, with limited suggestions for improvement related to program impact measures; specifically, the team asked for more structured, multi‑cycle evidence showing completers’ impact on P–12 learners.
Continuing program approvals: The committee recommended renewal for multiple continuing programs at Emporia State University (including biology, early childhood unified birth‑grade 3, earth and space science, and others) and Haskell Indian Nations University’s elementary program. Kansas State University and Fort Hays State brought previously approved new programs forward for continuing status (those programs met ERC expectations).
Fort Hays State University — new program: Fort Hays proposed an initial undergraduate program combining high‑ and low‑incidence special education and purposefully designed to align with apprenticeship and in‑district residency models. The ERC recommended approval with stipulation: the program met standards but must provide a progress report after two semesters of operation (typical requirement for a new program approved for initial implementation). The ERC noted the program as an alternative to the long‑standing assumption that special education preparation requires a graduate degree; the Fort Hays program is designed to be deliverable to working teachers and to integrate with registered apprenticeship pathways.
Process notes: The ERC’s review process includes multiple steps: provider self‑study, external review team report, virtual visits, and ERC deliberation. The committee thanked dozens of volunteers and reviewers across the academic year who participated in accreditation and program reviews.
Next steps: The board received the ERC recommendations. For Fort Hays, KSDE staff will track the required progress report after two semesters and the ERC will monitor compliance with the stipulation.
