The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released its 2014 Teacher Prep Review, with a much expanded and more comprehensive evaluation of 1,612 teacher preparation programs across the United States, and for the first time, a numeric ranking of programs. Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, and Southeastern Louisiana University earned national 'Top Ranked' status—a distinction awarded to 107 programs in the nation for overall strong performance.