Educator Preparation and Accreditation Program (EPP)
MSU’s Educator Preparation and Accreditation Program (EPP) works intentionally and collaboratively to advance learning, achievement, community, equity, and excellence, by implementing innovative, evidence-based, data-driven practices through a continuous improvement process that allows us to focus and make learning experiences beneficial to our students, faculty, university, partners and extended community.
The College of Education (CED) in partnership with the College of Arts and Letters, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Music, College of Natural Science, College of Social Science, James Madison College, and Lyman Briggs College prepares future teachers, school psychologists, and building and central office administrators. In total, there are 42 undergraduate and graduate degree programs that prepare future Birth to P-12 Educators and Educational Leaders with over 50+ licensure areas. Spring 2025 enrollment is over 2,000 students, of which 430 students are in their internship year.
The MSU undergraduate and graduate degree program chart shows at a glance the 8 colleges with teacher, school psychologist, and administrator majors. The CED M.A.T.C. ESL minor is included on the chart, as they have a specific CAEP program leader for this endorsement. A wide array of minors and endorsements are available in each of the colleges that prepare future teachers and are listed in the MSU course catalogue. The bottom right portion of the chart lists 2024-2025 CAEP Accreditations Program Leaders.
This visual highlights all CAEP accreditation initial and advanced programs within our 8 MSU colleges. Learn more about CAEP by visiting the CAEP accreditation page.
Affiliates of our EPP, MSU also has degree programs that prepare future school counselors and athletic trainers (both in the College of Education) as well as school social workers (College of Social Science).
Education Preparation
In additional to program and course delivery and support, the College of Education serves as the hub for the work of educator preparation and accreditation: leading arduous continuous improvement, serving as the key point of contact for Michigan Department of Education regarding program approval and individual licensure, providing advising education majors in the CED and those with degrees will come from other colleges, placing elementary and secondary education majors in internships and providing a core set of courses for these students, supporting and guiding faculty in program improvement and preparation, securing and strengthening relationship with P-12 partners, ensuring compliance with multiple federal and state reporting requirements, and leading all accreditation work.
Accreditation
Accreditation is quality assurance through external peer review. MSU EPP degree programs that lead to Michigan Department of Education school endorsements, certifications, and licensures must be professionally accredited. Our accreditor is CAEP, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Visit the CAEP page to learn more about CAEP accreditation.
At MSU CED, we believe people want to be a part of something great and that we thrive when:
- Students, staff, faculty, alumni, and our community partners feel they belong, are valued, have choices, are supported and understand that what they are doing gives them and those around them, especially those unserved and in most need, every opportunity for success now and later
- We dream, learn, and do something that changes the world for the better
Degree Program Leaders work with all faculty and staff, guiding the work
Because people matter – Leadership Matters
- Leaders act with purpose.
- Leaders create & support structures that bring people together in order to further the organization’s mission, vision, and goals.
- Leaders care about and know the people they serve. They are apart of their community and tell our collective story to unify and drive a positive, collaborative, inclusive, equitable, creative culture that adapts, innovates, and prospers.
- Effective leaders have proven results and a stable, long-term trajectory of success.
MSU CED CAEP Educator Preparation & Accreditation Leaders
Initial Programs
CED Teacher Education (TE)
Name | Role | MSU Title | Phone # | |
Gail Richmond | Oversees daily practices; communicates most TE undergraduate program changes | Professor | gailr@msu.edu | 517-432-4854 |
Kyle Greenwalt | Coordinates program improvement for Initial Programs (Assists with secondary pathways issues as needed) | Associate Professor | greenwlt@msu.edu | 517-353-0824 |
Tonya Bartell | Elementary pathways (PK-3 and 3-6) | Associate Professor | tbartell@msu.edu | 517-432-4652 |
CED Special Ed (CEPSE)
Name | Role | MSU Title | Phone # | |
Erin Hamilton | ASD | Senior Specialist – Advisor | erinhami@msu.edu | 517-353-1842 |
Joshua Plavnick | LD | Professor | plavnick@msu.edu | 517-432-8346 |
Child Development and Early Childhood Ed (HDFS)
Name | Role | MSU Title | Phone # | |
Holly Brophy-Herb | B-K and Sp. Ed. | Professor | hbrophy@msu.edu | 517-355-3397 |
Other Faculty & Advisors
Name | Role | MSU Title | Phone # | |
Aaron McKim | Agriscience | Associate Professor | amckim@msu.edu | N/A |
Kristen Bieda | Secondary Mathematics | Interim TE Chair, Asso. Director Mathematics | kbieda@msu.edu | 517-432-9607 |
Carey Ommen | Certified MSU earned education certificates and endorsements | Curriculum Coordinator II | commen@msu.edu | 517-353-5146 |
Joanne Marciano | Secondary English | Associate Professor | marcian2@msu.edu | 517-353-4348 |
Jungmin Kwon | PK-12 World Languages (undergraduate route) | Assistant Professor | jkwon@msu.edu | 517-355-6549 |
Kristin Rispoli | School Psychology (MA with initial certification) | Associate Professor | rispolik@msu.edu | 517-432-9629 |
Kyle Greenwalt | Secondary Social Studies and Reviews educator certification docs | Associate Professor | greenwlt@msu.edu | 517-353-0824 |
Lara Dixon | Oversees educator preparation and accreditation and is MDE liaison | Assistant Professor | dixonlar@msu.edu | 586-530-2153 |
Greg Childs | PK-12 ESL (undergraduate route) | Assistant Professor | childgr1@msu.edu | |
Nancy Romig | PK-12 World Languages (post-bac route) | Senior Specialist – Outreach | romignan@msu.edu | 517-355-8525 |
Patricia Edwards | Reading Specialist (MA with initial certification) | Univ Distinguished Professor | edwards6@msu.edu | 517-432-0858 |
Peter De Costa | PK-12 ESL (post-bac route) | Professor | pdecosta@msu.edu | 517-884-7728 |
Stefanie Marshall | Secondary Science | Assistant Professor | slmarsh@msu.edu | 517-432-4643 |
Andrea Allen | PK-12 Visual Arts | Assistant Professor | allena43@msu.edu | 713-297-1212 |
Coordinator Working Group
Name | Role | MSU Title | Phone # | |
Lisa Plascencia | Oversees CAEP and SL&L for Undergraduate Sp. Ed. Programs | Special Education Internship Coordinator | lisaplas@msu.edu | 517-353-5401 |
Andrea Kelly | Elementary Pre-Internship Coordinator | Senior Specialist – Teacher | akelly@msu.edu | 517-432-3671 |
Ann Castle (interim) | Elementary Coordinator; Elementary Lansing-Area Coordinator | Assistant Professor | castlean@msu.edu | N/A |
Chris Kaiser | Secondary Coordinator; Secondary Lansing-Area Coordinator | Specialist – Teacher | kaiserch@msu.edu | 517-353-5529 |
Darreth Rice | MATC Placement Coordinator | Assistant Professor | ricedar1@msu.edu | 517-432-0858 |
Effat Id-Deen | Southeast Michigan Area Coordinator | Assistant Professor | eiddeen@msu.edu | 734-646-6534 |
Molly Barrett | Grand Rapid Area Coordinator | Coordinator | piercemo@msu.edu | |
Nancy Romig | Post-BA World Language Teacher Certification Coordinator | Senior Specialist Outreach | romignan@msu.edu | 517-355-8525 |
Advanced Programs
Name | Role | MSU Title | Phone # | |
Julie Helber | Oversees K-12 Administration Program in EAD | Chair and Associate Professor K-12 Administration in EAD | jhelber@msu.edu | N/A |
Maddy Mavrogordato | Oversees K-12 MA Administration Program in EAD | Associate Professor K-12 Administration | mavro@msu.edu | N/A |
BetsAnn Smith | Oversees MATC Reading Specialist Program in TE | Associate Professor K-12 Administration | bas@msu.edu | N/A |
Darreth Rice | Oversees MATC Reading Specialist Program in TE | Associate Professor Language and Literature in TE | ricedar1@msu.edu | 517-432-0858 |
Kristen Rispoli | Oversee School Psychology Programs (EdS and PhD) in CEPSE | School Psychology Program Director, Associate Professor | rispolik@msu.edu | 517-432-9629 |