Taking a Deeper Dive: Program Assessment in Physical Education Teacher Education Programs

Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs are frequently evaluated as part of a university’s accreditation process, ensuring alignment with the National Standards. One university’s recent program evaluation led to necessary updates to key assessments, ultimately resulting in successful reaccreditation. However, accreditation alone does not guarantee continuous program improvement. To further enhance program quality, one university’s faculty conducted a follow-up evaluation utilizing the Development, Research, and Improvement (DRI) Framework and additional best-practice guidelines. The purpose of this article is to describe how the PETE program leveraged the developmental stage of the DRI framework to assess and strengthen key program components, ensuring the preparation of highly competent future physical educators. The article includes a roadmap for PETE programs to consider when evaluating their curriculum.