Caring: A particular kind of relationship between the teacher and the student that is defined by the teacher’s unconditional acceptance of the student, the teacher’s intention to address the student’s educational needs, the teacher’s competence to meet those needs, and also by the student’s recognition that the teacher cares.

It is one of TEAC’s core beliefs that these attributes must be addressed in the evaluation of teaching skill through selection, screening, or even direct instruction including modeling on the part of faculty.

Certification (see Licensing)

Claims: The statements that a program faculty makes to describe how its program meets the TEAC standards in preparing competent, caring, and qualified teachers.

Clean audit opinion: The most confident rating TEAC gives pertaining to the verification or trustworthiness of the Brief and its parts.

Component: One of the major parts of each element of the TEAC system of principles and standards. The components are represented by a single decimal point. For example, 2.2, Evidence of valid assessment is a component of element 2.0, Quality Principle II. In the accreditation process, components may be awarded stipulations if the evidence for them is sufficiently weak and below standard.

Confirming probe: A probe is said to be confirming if the auditor determines that the evidence (e.g., statistic, claim) representing the target is accurate. This judgment can be made even if there are slight and inconsequential inaccuracies in the targeted text of the Brief.

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a nonprofit organization of the nation's colleges and universities, CHEA recognizes accreditors. Established in 1996, CHEA also acts as the national policy center and clearinghouse on accreditation. CHEA recognized TEAC in 2001.

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