NAEYC Academy for
Early Childhood Program Accreditation
The NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation administers a
national, voluntary accreditation system to help raise the quality of all types of
preschools, kindergartens, and childcare centers. Currently there are more than 10,000
NAEYC-accredited programs, serving more than 850,000 children and their families.
Since the system began in 1985, NAEYC accreditation has provided a powerful tool
through which early childhood professionals, families, and others concerned about the
quality of early childhood education can evaluate programs, compare them with
professional standards, strengthen the program and commit to ongoing evaluation and
improvement.
Significant growth in and demands on the accreditation system led the NAEYC
Governing Board to establish a project to reinvent accreditation by developing new
program standards, criteria, and assessment procedures and by taking immediate steps to
improve the reliability and accountability of the system while better managing the
demand for accreditation. The transition to the next era of NAEYC Accreditation is now
underway, with full implementation scheduled to occur by 2006.
Steps and Requirements to Achieve NAEYC Accreditation
NAEYC's reinvented early childhood program accreditation system requires programs to
complete four steps to achieve NAEYC Accreditation. These requirements are designed to
increase the accountability of the system for children, families, and all customers of NAEYC
Accreditation (a goal established by the National Commission on Accreditation Reinvention
and the NAEYC Governing Board.) Ultimately, the four steps are designed to ensure that
programs meet each of NAEYC's ten Early Childhood Program Standards, which represent
NAEYC's definition of excellence for an early childhood program.
The steps and requirements will clarify the NAEYC Accreditation process, help programs
prepare for each step, and make sure that the crucial components of program quality are in
place. This preparation will increase the likelihood of a program's successful accreditation
experience and reduce the potential for frustration-not only for the program, but also for the
families, funders, and other stakeholders working to help the program improve and earn
NAEYC Accreditation.
The four steps and their requirements are built on a set of principles that stress quality and
access. This framework has been developed with extensive input from current practitioners,
and reviewed by the Commission on NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and
Accreditation Criteria, the Council for NAEYC Accreditation, a Board-appointed work group,
and a group of representatives from large systems of programs.
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NAEYC views the steps and requirements as a bridge to help early childhood programs-and
the early childhood field in general-make the transition to higher levels of program quality
over the next few years. Specifically, two actions have been taken to create this bridge:
1. Creation of candidacy requirements that establish a minimum for programs seeking to
become Candidates for NAEYC Accreditation, while allowing some flexibility
regarding the NAEYC Accreditation Criteria on teaching staff qualifications, and
2. Identification of Emerging Practices Criteria, which are the NAEYC Accreditation
Criteria identified as important aspects of program performance that are not yet widely
practiced. The early childhood field and individual programs need time to develop the
capacity to meet these criteria (due to, for example, the need for additional training,
major facility renovations, or an increased supply of certified consultants). Programs
may be assessed on Emerging Practices Criteria, but failure to meet these criteria will
not be considered in the accreditation decision at this time.
Continuous quality improvement is a hallmark of NAEYC's reinvented accreditation system.
NAEYC Accreditation is designed to encourage ongoing improvements by programs; the
system itself will also embrace continuous improvement. Lessons learned will be incorporated
to make refinements and improvements over time. NAEYC will monitor programs'
performance on the Emerging Practices Criteria, and the results will be used to determine their
full implementation.
These requirements, including the designation of selected criteria as Emerging Practices
Criteria, are expected to remain in effect through September 15, 2008.
STEP 1. ENROLLING IN SELF STUDY
The self-study process is critical to program improvement. All early childhood programs-even those that do not expect to proceed with the other steps toward NAEYC Accreditation in
the near future--will be able to enroll in self-study.
REQUIREMENTS:
None. Center- or school-based programs study their performance relative to the NAEYC
Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Criteria using tools developed by
NAEYC (or others) and make needed improvements. The self-study process is self-paced and
self-directed.
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PURPOSE:
To encourage programs to participate in a structured approach for program improvement that
considers all of the necessary components of a high quality program.
HOW REQUIREMENTS ARE MET:
Payment of self-study fee determines enrollment. A program decides how to use the self-study
tools to meet its needs and determines its pace for self-study.
STEP 2. BECOMING AN APPLICANT
After completing its initial self study, a program officially begins the accreditation process by
submitting an Application, and indicating that it will complete the formal program self
assessment within one year.
REQUIREMENTS:
The program must:
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Meet eligibility requirements for NAEYC Accreditation:
o Center- or school-based program serving children birth through kindergarten
o Serving a minimum of 10 children
o Operation for at least one year prior to submitting materials for candidacy
(Step 3)
o Regulated by the appropriate licensing/regulatory body (an alternative will be
phased in for license-exempt programs)
o Located in the United States or its territories, unless affiliated with United
States Department of Defense schools and child development centers/programs
o Willing to meet each of NAEYC's 10 early childhood program standards.
Demonstrate that key program staff/leadership understand the NAEYC Accreditation
process
Establish a collaborative process for completing program assessment that involves the
program administrator, teaching staff, families, and representatives of the program's
governance
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PURPOSE:
To ensure that
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Only eligible programs submit applications to formally begin the accreditation process
Program leaders understand what is involved in seeking NAEYC Accreditation
The program has the capacity to complete a comprehensive, formal program selfassessment within one year. The assessment will reflect the program's confidence that
it meets each of the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards, and can
demonstrate satisfactory performance on at least 80% of the NAEYC Accreditation
Criteria for each standard.
HOW REQUIREMENTS ARE MET:
Program applications must include signoffs-by the program administrator and members of a
program assessment team that includes representatives of the teaching staff, families, and
governance-indicating that:
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The program meets the eligibility requirements for NAEYC Accreditation
The team understands what the NAEYC Accreditation process entails
The program is prepared to complete a formal, comprehensive self-assessment within
one year. (Program applications will include the recently introduced Notification of
Intent, by which a program informs the NAEYC Academy that it will submit its
Program Self Assessment Report within a specific period during that year.)
STEP 3. BECOMING A CANDIDATE
When the program submits its completed self-assessment report, the program becomes a
Candidate for NAEYC Accreditation. At this point, the NAEYC Academy begins the process
of scheduling an on-site visit for the program.
REQUIREMENTS:
The program:
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Submits a completed program self-assessment report
Maintains good standing in its licensing/regulatory status by having no serious issues
of noncompliance within the last year or since its last inspection
Demonstrates necessary early childhood and management/leadership expertise among
its teaching, supervisory and leadership staff (see Tables 1 and 2)
Provides documentation of a collaborative process used to complete its Program Self
Assessment Report, actively engaging the program administrator, teaching staff,
families, and the program's governing body (when applicable)
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Believes that it can meet each of the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards
and that it can document satisfactory performance on at least 80% of the NAEYC
Accreditation Criteria for each standard.
PURPOSE:
To ensure that the program has the capacity to support quality, and to increase the probability
of a successful on-site assessment.
HOW REQUIREMENTS ARE MET:
The program self-assessment report and related materials must include documentation of the
following:
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Current license and good standing with the regulatory agency. (The program will
provide information from regulatory reports for the last 12 months or most recent visit
and/or documentation from the regulatory agency. An alternative is under
development for license-exempt programs.)
Evidence that the educational qualifications of program administrator(s) and teaching
staff meet the candidacy requirements in Tables 1 and 2.
Family, staff, and governance participation in preparation of submitted evidence
(demonstrated through results of surveys as well as evidence of involvement in
program planning).
Evidence that the program meets all required criteria, as well as a random selection of
criteria within each standard as identified by the NAEYC Academy.
STEP 4. MEETING THE PROGRAM STANDARDS
During the on-site visit-and through related documentation-a program will be required to
show that it meets all 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.
REQUIREMENTS:
During the on-site assessment by NAEYC Assessors, the program must
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Meet all required criteria:
o Supervision of children at all times
o No use of physical punishment or other forms of physical or psychological
abuse or coercion
o At least one staff member who has a certificate of satisfactory completion of
pediatric first aid training is always present with each group of children
o Infants placed to sleep on their back unless otherwise ordered by a physician
o Verification of application and candidacy requirements [See Step 3]
Meet each of the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards by demonstrating
satisfactory performance on at least 80% of each standard's associated Accreditation
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Criteria upon which the program is assessed. All programs will be assessed on a subset
of the criteria, including the Required Criteria, deemed fundamental to program
quality. All programs will be assessed on a selection of the remaining criteria that will
over-sample criteria identified through reliability and validity analyses as highly
predictive of program quality. Programs may be measured on Emerging Practices
Criteria. Performing the Emerging Practices Criteria will result in credit toward
meeting the standard, but failure to perform will not be considered in the assessment
score used to determine the award of NAEYC Accreditation.
PURPOSE:
To provide an independent assessment that the program fully meets NAEYC's Early
Childhood Program Standards.
HOW REQUIREMENTS ARE MET:
NAEYC program assessors will visit the program to conduct classroom observations with all
eligible age groups, review program documents, analyze the results of staff and family
surveys, and interview the program administrator. NAEYC assessors will be specially trained
to ensure that they provide reliable, consistent assessments of programs.
A portion of the Accreditation Criteria across each of the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood
Program Standards, including the Required Criteria, will be assessed in every program. The
assessment will also include randomly selected criteria that will include groups of Predictive
Criteria. Research indicates that programs that meet the Predictive Criteria are more likely to
meet the standards, and programs that do not meet the Predictive Criteria are less likely to be
high quality. Emerging Practices Criteria may be randomly selected for assessment during the
on-site visit as well. Programs that meet the Emerging Practices Criteria will receive credit,
but failure to perform the Emerging Practices Criteria will not be considered in determining
whether the program has met each standard.
NAEYC Academy staff will review the onsite assessment process to ensure that assessments
are conducted fairly and accurately. Accreditation decisions, including appeals procedures,
will be finalized by the Council for NAEYC Accreditation and/or committees it establishes
for this purpose.
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Emerging Practices Criteria
Emerging Practices Criteria
Programs are encouraged to meet these criteria; however, because they are currently not
widely practiced and may require time for training and facility renovations, performance
on these criteria will not negatively affect the accreditation decision at this time.
3.34
Adults sit and eat with children at snack and meal times and engage them in
conversation.
All children receive developmental screening that includes
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4.11
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4.17
the timely screening of all children within three months of program
entry;
Screening instruments that meet professional standards for
standardization, reliability, and validity;
Screening instruments that have normative scores available on a
population relevant for the child being screened;
Screening children's health status and their sensory, language, cognitive,
gross motor, fine motor, and social-emotional development;
A plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the screening program;
Using the results to make referrals to appropriate professionals, when
appropriate, and ensuring that the referrals are followed
Teaching teams meet at least weekly to interpret and use assessment results to
align curriculum and teaching practices to the interests and needs of the
children.
The program staff provide families with a full explanation of confidentiality by
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4.28
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5.3
Listing the categories of individuals who will have access to individual
child screening and assessment results and the reasons for their access.
Sharing regulations governing access to files and familial rights.
Describing the procedures used to keep individual child records
confidential.
Explaining how and why children's individual screening results and
assessment information will be represented, used, and interpreted.
The program has and implements a written agreement with a health consultant
who is either a licensed pediatric health professional or health professional with
specific training in health consultation for early childhood programs.
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The health consultant visits at least two times a year and as needed.
Where infants and toddlers/twos are in care, the health consultant visits
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the program at least four times a year and as needed.
The health consultant observes program practices and reviews and
makes recommendations about the program's practices and written
health policies to ensure health promotion and prevention of infection
and injury. The consultation addresses physical, socio-emotional,
nutritional, and oral health, including the care and exclusion of ill
children.
Unless the program participates in the United States Department of
Agriculture's Child and Adult Care Food Program, at least two times a
year a registered dietitian or pediatric public health nutritionist evaluates
the menus for nutritional content; portion sizes; nationally recommended
limits on juice, sugar, sodium, and saturated fats; food service
operations; special feeding needs to be met by the program; and
procedures used for food brought from home.
The program documents compliance and implements corrections according to
the recommendations of the consultant(s).
5.9
After each feeding, infants' teeth and gums are wiped with a disposable tissue to
remove liquid that coats the teeth and gums
5.13
This element only: the changing area is separated by a partial wall or at least 3
feet from other areas that children use and is assigned for exclusive use to one
group of children.
5.15
Precautions are taken to ensure that communal water play does not spread
infectious disease. No child drinks the water. Children with sores on their hands
are not permitted to participate in communal water play. Fresh potable water is
used, and the water is changed before a new group of children come to
participate in the water play activity. The water is drained when the group of
children allowed to use the table during the activity period completes the
activity. Alternately, fresh potable water flows freely through the water play
table and out through a drain in the table.
5.21
This element only: All foods that are brought from home for sharing among the
children are either whole fruits or commercially prepared packaged foods in
factory-sealed containers.
5.22
This element only: The program documents compliance and corrections that it
has made according to the recommendations of the program's health consultant,
nutrition consultant or a sanitarian.
5.27
This element only: Except for human milk, staff serve only formula and infant
food that comes to the facility in factory-sealed containers (e.g., ready-to-feed
powder or concentrate formulas and baby food jars) that staff prepare according
to the manufacturer's instructions. Bottle feedings do not contain solid foods
unless the child's health care provider supplies written instructions and a
medical reason for this practice.
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6.12
All teachers and assistant teachers/teacher aides have specialized professional
development training in how to accurately use the program's assessment
procedures for assessment of child progress and program quality. Their training
is used to adapt classroom practices and curriculum activities.
6.15
All teaching staff continuously strengthen their leadership skills and
relationships with others and work to improve the conditions of children and
families within their programs, the local community or region, and beyond.
Teaching staff participate in informal or formal ways in local, state, or regional
public-awareness activities related to early care by joining groups, attending
meetings, or sharing information with others both at and outside the program.
7.4
To better understand the cultural backgrounds of children, families, and the
community, program staff (as a part of program activities or as individuals)
participate in community cultural events, concerts, storytelling activities, or
other events and performances geared to children and their families.
7.25
Program staff provide families with information about programs and services
from other organizations. Staff support and encourage families' efforts to
negotiate health, mental health, assessment, and educational services for their
children.
8.6
Program staff advocate for the program and its families by creating awareness of
the program's needs among community councils, service agencies, and local
governmental entities.
8.7
Program staff include information gathered from stakeholders in planning for
continuous improvement, building stakeholder involvement in the program, and
broadening community support for the program.
9.8
This element only: At least 3-foot spacing or a solid barrier separates sleeping
children.
The findings of an assessment by a Certified Playground Safety Inspector are
documented and available on site. The assessment documents
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9.22
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the safety of play equipment to protect against death or permanently
disabling injury for children aged two through kindergarten.
that, through remedial action, the program has corrected any unsafe
conditions, where applicable.
that an inspection and maintenance program has been established and is
performed on a regular basis to ensure ongoing safety.
that the outdoor play area accommodates abilities, needs, and interests of
each age group the program serves.
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10.10
Technology-based information management systems are in place. Procedures
guide staff in collecting and analyzing data that are used to monitor the
operation of the program and to inform program improvement.
10.17
Policies guide the appropriate use of specialized consultants to support staff's
efforts to meet the needs of children and families to participate fully in the
program, including children with disabilities, behavior challenges, or other
special needs. Policies address consultant skills, payment, access, and
availability, and working relationships with staff. Policies also address
arrangements with other agencies to utilize their consultants for children who
are eligible for their services.
10.54
The program has an ongoing monitoring system to ensure that all program goals
and requirements are met. The program has a data system that is used to collect
evidence that goals and objectives are met; this evidence is incorporated in the
annual program evaluation.
NAEYC Accreditation Criterion for Supervision of Sleeping Infants
At its recent meeting, the NAEYC Governing Board voted unanimously to clarify the
NAEYC Accreditation criterion regarding supervision of sleeping infants. This decision
follows careful study by Academy staff and reflects the Board's desire to ensure that
infants in NAEYC-accredited programs are well cared for and safe.
Effective immediately, NAEYC-accredited programs, and programs seeking NAEYC
Accreditation, must comply with the following provisions for supervision of sleeping
infants:
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Teachers must be capable of hearing and easily seeing all sleeping children. (If a
full wall separates the infants, window openings must be large enough to allow a
teacher to view all of the sleeping children.)
Teachers must visually check on the infants every 5 minutes.
Teachers must be able to respond to children quickly.
Sound monitors may be used in infant rooms to fulfill the auditory supervision
requirement. However, teachers who are actively engaged with babies that are
awake must be aware of and able to attend to the sounds coming through the
monitor.
Use of video monitors cannot replace visual checks by teachers.
Young infants must be placed to sleep on their backs, unless parents sign a
release.
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The NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation is highlighting this
new information through the Accreditation Update and the new Accreditation E-Update,
and by contacting validators before they make program visits. Commissioners will
include this information in their accreditation decisions. If you have questions about the
criterion for supervision of sleeping infants, please contact an Accreditation Coordinator
for your region, at 800-424-2460 or academy@naeyc.org.
Updated Accreditation Policies and Procedures
The NAEYC Academy is making several important changes to increase the reliability
and accountability of the NAEYC Accreditation system, and to promote higher program
quality. These new policies are based on the recommendations of the National
Commission on Accreditation Reinvention, and have been planned with the NAEYC
Governing Board and the Council for NAEYC Accreditation. They will improve the
system for programs, families, employers and others, and most importantly, for the young
children we serve.
The policies build on other steps we have taken to improve the NAEYC Accreditation
system, including the new five-year term of accreditation, the 15-day window for
scheduling on-site visits, and field testing new procedures for compensated validators and
online scheduling. These changes have already helped improve service, and have
significantly reduced the time that programs wait for on-site visits.
The new changes include:
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Accreditation Fee Structure (January 2006)
Verification of continued program compliance (January 2005)
Annual reporting (January 2005)
Unannounced verification visits of accredited programs (January 2005)
Transitional procedures and program deadlines for the current system (November
2004)
The 15-Day Window for Validation Visits, with Business-Day Prior Notice
(October 2003)
The 5-Year Term of NAEYC Accreditation (October 2003)
Clarification of Supervision of Sleeping Infants (October 2003)
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Accreditation Fee Structure
Fees vary by the size of program enrollment. Fees are as follows:
Step 1
Enrolling in
Self-Study
Step 2
Becoming an
Applicant
Step 3
Becoming a
Candidate
Step 4
Meeting the
Program
Standards
Annual Report
Level 1
(60 or fewer
children)
$425
Level 2
(61 to 120
children)
$525
Level 3
(121 to 240
children)
$650
Level 4
(241 to 360
children*)
$775
*For each
additional
120 children
$100
$200
$275
$350
$425
$75
$650
$775
$950
$1,150
$100
No
associated
fees
No
associated
fees
$300
$350
No
No associated No associated
associated
fees
fees
fees
$400
$450
$100
Cancellation, or rescheduling, of a confirmed on-site visit results in a $250 cancellation/rescheduling
fee
© National Association for the Education of Young Children—Promoting excellence in
early childhood education
1509 16th St. N.W. Washington DC 20036 (202) 232-8777 || (800) 424-2460 ||
webmaster@naeyc.org
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Implications for Lutheran Early Childhood Programs
NAEYC-accredited programs must:
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Promote positive relationships for all children and adults to encourage each
child’s sense of individual worth.
Implement a curriculum that fosters all areas of child development: cognitive,
emotional, language, physical and social.
Use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate and effective
teaching approaches.
Provide ongoing assessments of a child’s learning and development and
communicate the child’s progress to the family.
Promote the nutrition and health of children and protect children and staff from
illness and injury.
Employ and support a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications,
knowledge and professional commitment necessary to support families’ diverse
needs and interests.
Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with each child’s family.
Establish relationships with and use the resources of the community to support
achievement of program goals.
Provide a safe and healthy physical environment.
Implement strong personnel, fiscal, and program management policies so that all
children, families, and staff have high-quality experiences.
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