The University of Indianapolis’ Elementary Education Program is only the second such program to receive the International Reading Association’s prestigious Certificate of Distinction, which honors outstanding preparation of future reading teachers.

The association praised the UIndy program for having “an exemplary commitment to personal and professional support for teacher candidates that continues well after graduation.” Local teachers interviewed for the selection process said UIndy education students are well prepared to take over classroom instruction when they arrive for their stints as student teachers.

The International Reading Association is a not-for-profit professional organization with 85,000 members and councils and affiliates in more than 100 countries. Its rigorous application process included a site visit by evaluators who assessed UIndy’s offerings in terms of course content; faculty and teaching; field experiences and practica; cultural diversity; candidate and program assessment; and governance, resources and vision. The program received a “distinguished” rating in 26 of 29 categories evaluated.

The certificate will be presented May 5 in Minneapolis at a convention of the IRA, which awarded the honor for the first time earlier this year to the University of Texas at San Antonio. UIndy’s Elementary Education Program is coordinated by Nancy Steffel, associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education, which is chaired by Associate Professor Beverly Reitsma.

“Preparing great teacher candidates is a team effort,” Steffel said. “Our faculty on the Elementary Education Team incorporate literacy education in each course, so our candidates see how literacy helps children grow as learners in every subject area. We also are supported by our partner schools, which guide our candidates as they apply new literacy strategies in K-6 classrooms.”