CLARK COLLEGE’S TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM EARNS FULL ACCREDITATION (Photo) - 12/01/25

State Approval Recognizes Program Excellence and 

Strengthens Region’s Education Workforce

VANCOUVER, Wash.— Clark College is proud to announce that its Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BASTE) program has been fully accredited by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) of Washington state. The board approved the accreditation at its Nov. 13 meeting.

PESB is the state body responsible for reviewing and approving teacher preparation programs in Washington. Full accreditation affirms that Clark’s BASTE program meets all statewide standards for preparing high-quality educators. Because the program has been engaged in the accreditation process since before its first cohort began, graduates from all cohorts—past, current, and future—qualify for teacher certification.

"This achievement marks the culmination of a long journey and represents an incredible milestone for Clark College and our students,” said Dr. Donald Ludwig, division chair of Behavioral Sciences and Clark’s Baccalaureate Leadership Council representative. “It stands as a testament to years of vision, perseverance, and collaboration.”

The BASTE Program

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BASTE) is a two-year program that leads to teacher certification for preschool through eighth grade and offers endorsement options in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Bilingual Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education. The program provides a seamless pathway for students who have completed an associate of applied science degree and want to continue into a teacher education and certification program.

The program was intentionally designed to support Grow Your Own Teacher initiatives, which ensure that the teacher workforce reflects the demographics of the school district.

The Multi-Year Accreditation Process

Clark College began exploring the need for a BASTE program in 2019 by reviewing models from other institutions, analyzing regional teacher shortages, and consulting with school districts. The college then moved through a multi-stage approval process with its Board of Trustees, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and PESB.

During this process, Clark submitted an initial notification of intent and a pre-proposal, which describes how the program design and methods uniquely fill the needs of its community. The final stages of the process required a full program proposal that detailed specific program requirements. Each step goes through a detailed review before receiving final approval and full accreditation.

Meeting Local and Statewide Teacher Shortages

Washington is experiencing significant teacher shortages in several key endorsement areas. Four of Clark’s program endorsements—Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education—are shortage areas both statewide and within Clark County, according to PESB. The need for bilingual teachers is also growing, with 15.1% of Washington students identified as English Language Learners in 2024-25—an increase from the previous year. Two of Clark County's largest school districts reported ELL enrollment above 18%, mirroring statewide trends. Locally, special education and bilingual teachers are the most challenging positions to fill, but BASTE’s endorsement offerings address these shortages head-on.

“Having worked in education for my entire career, I know that people choose to become educators not to make a lot of money, but because they are passionate about helping students, impacting lives, and making a difference in their community,” said Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards. “It is gratifying to consider how deeply our BASTE-trained teachers will impact the lives of their students, their students’ families, and their communities over their teaching careers.”

By design, the program prepares graduates to meet the workforce needs of Clark County. Ongoing collaboration with local school districts allows students to complete their teacher residencies within local classrooms, supporting a smooth transition into teaching positions after graduation.

The BASTE program’s first cohort of five students graduated in June 2024. The second cohort tripled, with 17 graduates in June 2025. A new cohort begins every fall term, and this year, Clark welcomed 24 students to the program—one shy of the maximum allowed per cohort. Those interested in learning more can visit https://www.clark.edu/academics/programs/public-service-society-and-education/baste/ 

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933, Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. It is a public community college offering more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves a wide range of students, including high school students, displaced workers, veterans, parents, non-native English speakers, and mature learners. Approximately 45% of its students are the first generation of their families to attend college. The Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BASTE) is one of six Bachelor's degree programs offered at Clark College, including: Applied Management, Cybersecurity, Dental Hygiene, Human Services, and Computer Science.

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The Aspen Institute Names Clark College As A Top 200 U.S. Community College - 11/07/25

Clark Eligible to Compete for the 2027 $1 million Aspen Prize

Washington D.C.–The Aspen Institute recently named Clark College as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor’s attainment rates. 

“Clark College is honored to be recognized among the top community colleges in the country by the Aspen Institute. This recognition affirms our ongoing commitment to equitable student success and the transformative power of education. At Clark, student success means more than earning a degree—it’s about creating pathways to opportunity for every learner,” said Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards. “This recognition from the Aspen Institute reflects the dedication of our staff and faculty and their ongoing work to close equity gaps, uplift our students, and strengthen our community through education.”

In 2021-22, Dr. Edwards was a fellow in the Aspen Community College Excellence Program for new presidents.

Together, the 200 colleges—six of them in Washington state—represent the breadth and diversity of the community college sector. They are located in urban, rural, and suburban areas across the country and serve anywhere from a few hundred students to tens of thousands. Some of these colleges focus primarily on workforce programs, while others focus on transfer and bachelor’s attainment or a combination of the two. 

“The Aspen Prize rewards colleges that achieve the kind of outcomes that actually matter to students—completing college degree programs that, in turn, lead to lifelong success,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “Aspen Prize winners offer a powerful message: Community colleges can deliver the kind of life-changing education that makes the American Dream real.” 

Community colleges educate nearly six million students. Yet student outcomes fall short in graduation and post-graduation success. The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates community colleges that demonstrate that achieving stronger outcomes is possible, providing a roadmap of effective practices and strategies for other colleges to follow.  

As a next step, Clark College, among the 200 eligible colleges, has been invited to submit an application and participate in a rigorous review process culminating in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2027. Over the coming 20 months, the colleges that apply for the Aspen Prize will be assessed based on: (1) student outcomes data, ranging from student transfer and completion rates to employment and wages after graduation and (2) whether they have engaged in scaled practices that led to high and improving student outcomes.  

“Among these 200 colleges are some really special places that deliver strong and improving outcomes for students across the board,” Wyner said. “Our job over the coming 20 months is to gather a lot more data and work with a deep bench of field experts to assess which of these 200 stand out so we can not only honor them with a monetary award, but drive attention to the most effective field practices that other colleges can replicate.” 

Eligibility for the Aspen Prize is based on publicly available data demonstrating strong and improving student outcomes in first-to-second year retention, credentials awarded, and completion and transfer rates. The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium Education Philanthropy and the Joyce Foundation.

To identify the 200, Aspen updated its data model—including new measures for part-time degree completion, transfer rates, and bachelor’s attainment—adding data from the National Student Clearinghouse to existing federal data sets. 

Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize. Nationwide, about 20% of community colleges—200 of just under 1,000 public two-year colleges—were invited to apply this cycle, an increase from the 150 institutions in previous years. The full list can be accessed on the Aspen Prize homepage. 

About the Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes—with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole. 

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org 

About Clark College  

Founded in 1933, Clark College is Southwest Washington’s largest public institution of higher education. Clark Collegeprovides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. This public community college offers more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves over 9,500 students including high school students, veterans, displaced workers, multilingual and mature learners. About three-quarters of its students are the first in their families to attend college. For more information, visit clark.edu.

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