MONMOUTH, Ore. – According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Title II report, Western Oregon University remains the largest preparer of newly licensed teachers in Oregon for the second year in a row. WOU graduated 14.56% of all licensed teachers in the state of Oregon in 2021-2022.
“Preparing educators is one of the strengths of Western Oregon University. This is especially important during times of state and national teacher shortages. The faculty and staff here provide an inspirational educational experience, and our students graduate incredibly well-prepared to enter the profession and be successful.” Dr. Jesse Peters, President of WOU.
The Higher Education Act, Title II, compiles data with states and institutions with teacher preparation programs around preparation and certifications. WOU’s College of Education strives to ensure our academic programs generate deep, meaningful learning in real-world settings, resulting in more just, healthy, and educated communities.
“Several core values underlie all our [teacher preparation] work including justice, equity, inclusivity, service, and application of our gifts in the real world. Our shared goals are to improve the world for our communities, the individuals with whom we work, and the world at large.” Mark Girod, Dean of College of Education.
According to the Oregon Education Public Employment Report from 2022, WOU-prepared teachers also remain in their jobs in Oregon schools and classrooms longer than educators prepared at other colleges and universities. According to the data, when compared to 3-year retention rates across the State (Oregon Equity Reports, 2020 & 2019), Western prepared teachers are 16.87% more retained.
For more information about WOU’s teacher preparation programs, please visit https://wou.edu/academics/education/
About Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University, founded in 1856 in Monmouth, is the state’s oldest public university. Serving about 4,000 students, WOU is a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution with about 70% of the student population being from Oregon. A significant portion of attendees are members of under-represented groups, veterans, or non-traditional students. WOU is Oregon’s campus of choice for those seeking a transformative education in a supportive, student-centered learning community where classes are taught by faculty. Together we succeed.
