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Program Review Services

ACTFL/CAEP Program Standards for the Preparation of World Language Teachers

CAEP is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council of Higher Education as the sole professional accrediting body for teacher preparation. CAEP advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement. More than 900 educator preparation providers will initially participate in the CAEP accreditation system, which serves all providers currently accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). Educator preparation providers include traditional institutions of higher education, as well as alternative pathways such as residency programs. CAEP determines which educator preparation programs meet rigorous national standards in preparing teachers and other classroom specialists. Functioning as the profession's quality control mechanism for teacher preparation, CAEP is a coalition of 34 national education organizations, which represents teachers, teacher educators, subject matter specialists, and policymakers.

Programs seeking national recognition through ACTFL/CAEP must use the 2013 Standards.

CAEP-approved teacher preparation program standards in world languages reflect the profession’s expectations for the specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions that world language teachers should have as they enter our classrooms. These standards will enable the profession to monitor the quality of language teachers being certified by institutions throughout the country. Information about the process that was used to develop the world language teacher preparation standards is contained in the proposal for the revision submitted in August 2013.

ACTFL/CAEP Program Standards

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PDF ACTFL/CAEP 2013 Program Standards

Modified 2015

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PDF Crosswalk with edTPA and ACTFL/CAEP Program Standards

Mapping to program standards

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PDF Guidelines for Preparing the ACTFL/CAEP Program Report

Feb. 2016

Nationally Recognized Programs

A list of programs accredited by ACTFL/CAEP

View Programs

CAEP FAQs

ACTFL/CAEP Program Standards Continued

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PDF Guidelines for Reviewing the ACTFL/CAEP Program Report

Feb. 2016

Examples of Successful ACTFL/CAEP Program Reports and Assessments

Standard 2 Assessment 2 Cultural Portfolio
Standards 3, 4, 5 Assessment 8 edTPA

ACTFL/CAEP Standards as Proposed to CAEP in 2013

ACTFL, in conjunction with the Standards Collaborative, joined CAEP (at that time it was NCATE) as a member organization in 1998. Member organizations such as ACTFL represent millions of Americans who support rigorous, high quality teacher preparation.

For additional information about these standards or the review process, please contact Dr. Teresa Bell at tbell@byu.edu.

Appendices for 2013 ACTFL/CAEP Program Standards Proposal

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PDF Appendix A

Standards for FL Executive Summary

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PDF Appendix B

Alignment Common Core State Standards

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PDF Appendix C

Alignment Framework 21st Century

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PDF Appendix D

Research Supporting 2013 ACTFL/CAEP Standards

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PDF Appendix L

ACTFL/CAEP Program Self-Assessment Table

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PDF Appendix O

SASB Reviewer Rubric

Position Statement
ACTFL Statement: General Principles of Language Learning - July 29, 2012 - Read the full statement

As part of its mission and vision, the ACTFL provides guidance to the profession and to the general public regarding issues, policies, and best practices related to the teaching and learning of languages and cultures.

Position Statement
Diversity and Inclusion in Language Programs -
Position Statement
ACTFL Statement: Language Learning for Heritage and Native Speakers - May 21, 2010 - Read the full statement

ACTFL and its members encourage learning environments that support heritage and native speakers of languages other than English. It is critical that these students be able to continue to develop their heritage linguistic and cultural skills in order to become fully bilingual and biliterate in today’s global environment.

ACTFL Statement: The Role of Technology in Language Learning
Performance Descriptors card
ACTFL Performance Descriptors

The ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners are designed to describe language performance that is the result of explicit instruction in an instructional setting. These new Performance Descriptors reflect how language learners perform.

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