The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a non-profit organization based in the United States that accredits early childhood programs as well as post-secondary institutions that provide early childhood education programs. Applicants must meet the NAEYC’s national standards in order to receive NAEYC accreditation. NAEYC accreditation is frequently used by parents to assess the quality of early childhood programs, which typically run from birth to age eight. Despite the fact that different accreditation systems exist, the NAEYC uses nationally recognized standards.
NAEYC accreditation standards reflect the most recent research and best practices in early childhood education, and parents of young children frequently use these standards to assess the quality of early childhood education programs. The NAEYC offers three different accreditation programs. Since 1985, the Accreditation of Programs for Young Children has established professional standards for early childhood development programs. Two-year early childhood education programs are accredited by the Accreditation of Associate Degree Programs. The Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Programs is part of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education’s accreditation system, and it accredits institutions that offer four-year and advanced degrees (NCATE).
Four steps must be completed in order for a program to be NAEYC accredited. The program must first enroll in the accreditation process and complete a self-study, which includes, for example, examining the standards that the program must meet. The next step is to apply for accreditation and complete a self-evaluation. This places the program in the context of the standards and shows administrators what needs to be addressed. The program is evaluated by professionals from the NAEYC in the third step, candidacy.
The program must meet the standards in the fourth and final step. The NAEYC standards are used by the professionals who evaluate the program. The program must then maintain the standards if the standards are met. The NAEYC accreditation lasts five years, after which the program must be re-evaluated to ensure that the standards are still being met. There are ten requirements that must be met, and within those requirements are 400 accreditation criteria.
The NAEYC has been around since the 1930s and is widely regarded as one of the most influential organizations for early childhood professionals. NAEYC accreditation has been granted to over 7,000 programs. The NAEYC’s website has more information about accreditation.