The College of Education is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). For more information on SACS, visit their website.

In the early 1980s, Texas school districts including those in the El Paso region, were experiencing severe difficulty in recruiting sufficient numbers of teachers in several critical teaching fields.  This shortage of qualified teachers has become more pronounced in recent years.  In compliance with guidelines developed by the State Board of Education, the University of Texas at El Paso, in collaboration with area school districts, developed a plan designed to train and certify even more teachers through effective alternative teacher certification programs.  In addition to the university and fifteen area public school districts, one charter school and three private schools have collaborated with this initiative.  Another important component of the Alternative Teacher Certification Program is its outreach to military personnel through the Troops to Teachers Program.