Congratulations, Parents!

You have chosen an early childhood program for your child that is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. NAEYC administers the largest and most widely recognized national, voluntary, professionally sponsored accreditation system for all types of early childhood schools and child care centers. NAEYC is the nation’s largest organization of early childhood educators.

What is accreditation?

Early childhood programs accredited by NAEYC’s National Academy of Early Childhood Programs have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study, invited external professional review to verify compliance with the Criteria for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs, and been found to be in substantial compliance with the Criteria. A copy of the Criteria can be obtained from NAEYC.

What is high-quality early childhood program?

A high-quality early childhood program provides a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of young children. In accredited programs, you should see

•  A healthy and safe environment for adults and children
•  Effective administration
•  Enough adults to respond to individual children
•  Frequent, positive, warm interactions among teachers and children
•  Inclusive environments
•  Many varied age-appropriate materials
•  Nutritious meals and/or snacks
•  Ongoing professional development
•  Ongoing, systematic evaluation
•  Planned learning activities appropriate to children’s age and development, such as block building, painting, reading stories, dress-up and active outdoor play
•  Regular, two-way communication with parents who are welcome visitors at all times
•  Respect for cultural diversity
•  Specially trained teachers and directors

Accreditation is valid for three years. During that period, programs should maintain compliance with accreditation standards, document program improvements and provide notification about major changes.

For more information about NAEYC accreditation, visit our Web at www.naeyc.org or call 1-800-424-2460, extension 601.