Undergraduate DivisionAccreditation

Based on the Educator Preparation Institution (EPI) EPI Report 2025 provided annually by the MDE, CU completers earned an efficacy score of 96.6% in the indicator, Impact on P-12 Learning, which means the majority of completers were rated Effective or Highly Effective in their first three years of teaching. Since 40% of the ratings are based on student impact data from state testing or district approved assessments of student learning outcomes, these ratings demonstrate that CU completers have a positive impact on P-12 students’ learning and development. The 2025 Performance Score Report Manual describes how each component in the 2025 Educator Preparation Institution (EPI) performance score is calculated.

An Administrator Survey, distributed to head administrators, included questions about the performance of new hires, which provides further evidence for completer effectiveness. Compared with the state averages, administrators gave high efficacy scores to Cornerstone University graduates on their instructional strategies to support all students in making connections to prior knowledge and experiences (100%) and implement multiple strategies to present key content area(s) concepts (100%). Organizing the learning environment to guide student engagement during instructional time was identified as an area of growth. Cornerstone University graduates earned a score of 60% versus the state average of 90.1%. More specifically, administrators indicated that graduates outperformed other new teachers instructing high performing students with a score of 100% versus the state average of 90.6%. Administrators indicated that graduates did not perform as well as other new teachers instructing low-performing and students experiencing trauma. Changes made to the CU Teacher Education program that reflect the new state certification structure address these areas of needed growth. The Administrative Survey data is used as an element to determine the EPI performance score EPI Report 2025.

Employer satisfaction can be measured by CU graduates’ effectiveness ratings since 60% of the rating is based on the principals’ observation of candidates’ teaching and learning. Based on the Educator Preparation Institution (EPI) EPI Report 2025 provided annually by the MDE, CU completers earned an efficacy score of 96.6% in the indicator, Impact on P-12 Learning, which means the majority of completers were rated Effective or Highly Effective in their first three years of teaching. This was an increase from last year’s efficacy score.

An Administrator Survey, distributed to head administrators, included questions about the performance of new hires, which provides further evidence for completer effectiveness. Compared with the state averages, administrators gave high efficacy scores to Cornerstone University graduates on their instructional strategies to support all students in making connections to prior knowledge and experiences (100%) and implement multiple strategies to present key content area(s) concepts (100%). Organizing the learning environment to guide student engagement during instructional time was identified as an area of growth. Cornerstone University graduates earned a score of 60% versus the state average of 90.1%. More specifically, administrators indicated that graduates outperformed other new teachers instructing high performing students with a score of 100% versus the state average of 90.6%. Administrators indicated that graduates did not perform as well as other new teachers instructing low-performing and students experiencing trauma. Changes made to the CU Teacher Education program that reflect the new state certification structure address these areas of needed growth.

The following list includes the P-12 districts with which has affiliation agreements:

In 2019, the CU Teacher Education Division formed a Steering Committee consisting of alumni, candidates, and P-12 teachers and administrators from seven area districts. The purpose of the committee is to build and grow mutually beneficial partnerships between CU and districts, and between districts. Steering Committee meetings occur each semester and held on the CU campus or on the premises of one of the partnership districts. Topics of discussion over the last four years have included mental health, clinical experiences, certification structure changes, legislative updates, teacher shortages, areas of specific support for new teachers, and virtual learning and technology. These partnerships have benefited both CU and the district partners. Not only has CU built stronger partnerships with area districts, the districts have developed partnerships with each other. Both candidates and P-12 students have benefited as well. The variety of clinical experiences allow candidates to get rich experiences in diverse settings where they positively impact P-12 students’ learning and growth.

Steering Committee Agenda 11.15.19 

Steering Committee Agenda 2.25.21

Steering Committee Agenda 10.18.21

Steering Committee Agenda 2.14.22

Steering Committee Agenda 2.13.23

Steering Committee Agenda 11.8.23

Steering Committee Agenda 11.5.24

Steering Committee Agenda 3.25.25

Steering Committee Agenda 11.11.25

Steering Committee Agenda 3.17.26

MDE issues an EPI Report 2025 to each Educator Preparation Program based on the following categories: 1. Candidate Selection and Completion, 2. Knowledge & Skills for Teaching, 3. Performance as Classroom Teachers, and 4. Robust Clinical Experiences. The score is based on the following data: candidate survey suite, school demographics, Educator Effectiveness Ratings, Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) pass rates, and an administrator survey. CU’s most recent overall EPI Performance Score is 78.9% with 75 out of 95 points, which is a Satisfactory rating. The minimum score to receive Satisfactory is 77% or 73 points. The 2025 Performance Score Report Manual describes how each component in the 2025 Educator Preparation Institution (EPI) performance score is calculated.

An indicator that candidates are competent in their subject areas is the scores on the MTTC provided by MDE. In the category of Knowledge & Skills for Teaching on the EPI Report 2025, candidates earned a score of 55.6% in Subject-Specific Pedagogical Knowledge compared with the state average of 81.7%. The pass-rate information for the 2024-25 MTTC (MTTC CU 2024-25) is available along with a three-year summary of MTTC results (MTTC CU 2022-25). We are addressing the low testing scores by providing workshops to support student success on the MTTCs.

The Year Out Survey 2025 collects data from completers one year out and provides feedback on their professional preparation in the following categories: Career Support, Overall Preparation, Meeting Student Needs, Technology, Instructional Strategies and Assessment, Professionalism, and Clinical Experience and Program Preparation. The findings show that 2024-2025 CU completers’ scored higher than the state averages in Career Support (75.8%) Overall Preparation (90.9%), Technology (86.4%), Professionalism (97%), and Clinical Experience and Program Preparation (84.5%). Meeting Student Needs (69.1%) fell below the state averages (75.7%) while Instructional Strategies and Assessment (77.8%) was comparable to the state average (78.3%). When looking more closely at the data, completers felt most prepared in the areas of interview preparation, support all students in making connections to prior knowledge and experiences and implement multiple strategies to present key content area(s) concepts. The areas completers felt least prepared were communicating effectively with families/caregivers to promote individual student growth, applying instructional strategies for English Learners, and adapting instruction, curriculum, and assessments according to IEPs and 504 plans.

The data collected in the 2024-2025 Candidate Suite Surveys also provide evidence that candidates’ demonstrate competency after completing the CU Teacher Education Program. For example, CU candidates earned a score of 100% in the Teaching Promise category indicating that candidates, university supervisors, and cooperating teachers believe that candidates are ready for the teaching profession (Table 1). More specifically, candidates survey results show similar themes with the findings from the Year Out Survey 2025 results. For example, candidates that graduated in 2023-2024 scored similarly high as the completers in support all students in making connections to prior knowledge with 100% of respondents selecting “to a moderate extent” or “to a great extent” indicating all candidates felt prepared by their Education Preparation Program (EPP). 100% of respondents from both data sets selected “to a moderate extent” or “to a great extent” when asked about their ability to be reflective educators who utilize feedback to implement instructional improvements. Candidates scored similarly low with completers in the area of adapting instruction, curriculum, and assessments according to IEPs and 504 plans.

Table 1
Candidate Suite Surveys – Overall Scores

Disclaimer: The above calculations are preliminary. Final calculations may change as the data continue to be scrubbed and refined.

The Teacher Education team reviews data and creates action steps every August. For example, based on data from previous years, the Teacher Education program includes more emphasis on preparing candidates to work with English Learners. Although still an area being developed, scores from the Year Out and Candidate Surveys demonstrate growth. Compared to the 2024-25 completers’ score (18.2%), 66.7% of the current CU completers selected “to a moderate extent” or “to a great extent,” which indicates they can apply instructional strategies to support English Learners. This increase in score shows program development and increased growth in candidate competency. Another program change based on previous data, is CU Teacher Education Program’s commitment to increase diverse clinical experiences. The Steering Committee partnerships have contributed to providing candidates with clinical experiences in more diverse districts across the program. According to the current Candidate Suite Survey data, when answering the question “To what extent did your preparation program provide you with opportunities to work with students from a variety of backgrounds,” 95.6% respondents selected “to a moderate extent” or “to a great extent.” When answering the question “To what extent did your preparation program provide you with opportunities to work in a variety of school settings,” 100% respondents selected “to a moderate extent” or “to a great extent” compared with the state average of 87.5%. Additionally, the Teacher Education Program designed a clinical experience, EDU 365, Equitable & Inclusive Education Clinical Experience, that provides candidates with more hours in diverse settings. Data in the next four years will provide evidence to support increased efforts in providing candidates with experiences with students from diverse backgrounds in a variety of school settings.

CU’s Teacher Education Program uses the Danielson Framework to assess candidates’ proficiency in the following categories during their student teaching internship: Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibility. The Danielson Summary and Analysis 2025 – coming June 2026 provides scores for three cycles of data including spring 2024, fall 2024, and spring 2025.

A Disposition Assessment, created by CU, evaluates and monitors candidates’ dispositions throughout the Teacher Education Program. Eight dispositions based on InTASC standards are included: integrity, commitment to teaching, responsibility, adaptability, professionalism, stress management, academic ability, and communication. The Disposition Summary and Analysis 2025 – coming June 2026 provides scores for three cycles of data including spring 2024, fall 2024, and spring 2025.

45 graduates completed the Cornerstone University Teacher Education program in 2024-25. 89% of the graduates found jobs in education or continued their education in graduate school. Since the data on effectiveness ratings are provided by MDE for teachers in Michigan that must be employed in classrooms where they are certified in order to receive a rating, the ratings provide evidence that CU completers have the capacity to be hired in jobs for which they are qualified.