The NAEYC Accreditation System

The program will promote positive relationships among children and adults to encourage each child’s sense of individual worth and belonging within their community, as well as fostering each child’s ability to contribute to society as a responsible member.

To support such positive relationships, it is important to maintain a safe environment in which the child feels cared for and is surrounded by attentive, encouraging adults who offer guidance. This will help the child develop a sense of confidence and security that will support a spirit of cooperation and appropriate behavior important to their interpersonal relationships.

Positive interaction will be observable in the classroom, and both adults and children will feel integrated into the group. Teachers will be able to effectively manage the child’s transition from the home environment to school and encourage behaviors that lead to friendships. All staff will maintain professional behavior, while stimulating conversation and recognizing the children’s efforts and achievements.

Standard 2: Curriculum

The program will implement a curriculum that promotes the children’s holistic development, a curriculum that is consistent with its goals for the children and promotes learning and development in each of the following areas: social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive. Work will focus on literacy, math, science, technology, art and creativity, health and safety, and social studies.

The curriculum is laid out as a guide for decision-making for both teachers and administrators; and includes activities, materials, and schedules, as well as learning objectives. Rather than being given a curriculum designed by NAEYC, each institution can create their own, provided they adhere to the established standards.

A well-articulated curriculum is flexible and focuses on a broad range of development and content areas. Experimentation and play are the foundation of learning and development and, along with individual and group work, are combined with other teaching strategies, such as the use of various tools and materials, to engage children in the learning process. Each child’s developmental needs and interests will be individually attended to by focusing on communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and other important skills. All learning will incorporate contact with art and nature, taking place both inside and outside the classroom.

Standard 3: Teaching

The program will use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches that enhance each child’s learning and development within the context of the program’s curriculum goals. As unique individuals from diverse sociocultural backgrounds, children grow and develop in their own way, each with different learning techniques, needs, and interests. Teachers must be sensitive to these differences and use various educational techniques to address the learning needs of each child.

In order to adequately address each child’s learning needs, the curriculum and lesson plans must be flexible. Teachers must also be able to observe and direct children with care as they work at their own pace, individually and in groups of various sizes. The materials and techniques employed must be tailored to the interests and needs of each child. In addition to highlighting each child’s work, there must be a focus on and a celebration of cultural diversity in all activities.

Standard 4: Assessment of Children’s Progress

The program will be informed by ongoing, systematic assessment approaches, both formal and informal, to provide information on children’s learning and development. These assessments occur within the context of reciprocal communication with families, with sensitivity to the cultural contexts in which children develop. Assessment results are used to benefit children by informing sound decisions about teaching and program improvement.

These assessments help identify potential learning disabilities in children, who may be referred to specialists for further diagnosis and/or treatment. They also help teachers evaluate their curricula and adapt them according to their children’s needs and strengths

A well-designed program uses several methods of assessment, such as observation, checklists, rating scales, etc. Evaluations are carried out in accordance with the age and developmental stage of each child, taking all fields into consideration: cognitive (math, science, etc.), emotional intelligence, physical development, and communication. Meetings to discuss the results of these evaluations will be held with family members in order to reinforce each child’s educational development. Teachers will also use these results to set new goals for the children and improve their educational program and strategies.

Standard 5: Health

The program will promote children’s health and nutrition, protecting them, as well as staff, from illness and injury. Health and safety are fundamental aspects of any program that promotes a child’s growth, development, and learning.

Staff must always be familiar with pediatric first aid. Institutions have to ensure that all materials are in compliance with safety regulations (i.e. cribs, toys, bottles, eating utensils, clothes, etc.). Hygiene regulations must also be enforced at all times; this includes regular hand-washing, maintaining the cleanliness of the facilities, and disinfecting all surfaces. Babies must be laid down to sleep on their backs and supervised at all times. There must be a detailed contingency plan in case of child illness, including how to contact family members. Additionally, nutritious snacks and meals must be provided and stored appropriately.

Standard 6: Teachers

The program will employ and support a teaching staff that has the knowledge, educational qualifications, and professional commitment necessary to promote children’s learning and development and to support families’ diverse needs and interests.

Teachers who have specific preparation, knowledge, and skills in child development and early childhood education are more likely to engage in warm, positive interactions with children, offer richer language experiences, and create more high-quality learning environments.

All quality-approved programs recruit teachers whose academic background is in earlyeducation, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. They also promote and support ongoing professional development by devoting time and resources to continuing education for teachers. Additionally, accredited programs offer orientation and training to new recruits on the program’s philosophical foundations and on thecurriculum that sustains it.

Standard 7: Families

The program will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with each child’s family to foster children’s development in all areas. These relationships are sensitive to family composition, language, and culture.

The relationship between the program and the family is essential to bring about the children’s learning and development; thus, programs need to recognize the primacy of children’s families, establish relationships with families based on mutual trust and respect, support and involve families in their children’s educational growth, and invite families to fully participate in the program.

Each program will plan activities meant to encourage family participation in all aspects of education; policy will both allow and invite parents to visit the school at any given moment. Teachers will take it upon themselves to become familiar with the various family compositions, parenting philosophies, and the children’s sociocultural contexts in order to incorporate these when planning their educational goals, choosing their teaching methods, and preparing their daily plans. There will be constant communication, both oral and written, with families in the form of one-on-one conversations, parent-teacher conferences, family orientations, and so forth. All program information and policy will be communicated in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner.

Standard 8: Community Relationships

The program will establish relationships with community and use its resources to support the achievement of program goals.

It is important to forge and maintain ties with community organizations and institutions. In this way, programs can achieve their goals and provide the necessary support families need to take advantage of their community’s resources to the benefit of their children.

Programs will collaborate with various community organizations in order to optimize learning opportunities for children, including museums, libraries, parks, zoos, theatres, and educational outreach from police and firemen, among others. Furthermore, community figures such as artists, musicians, and public servants will be invited to lead developmental activities in the schools. Working relationships will also establish different community organizations to widen the scope of the program’s support for families and children in the areas of health, nutrition, recreation, and special education.

Standard 9: Physical Environment

The program has a safe and healthy environment that provides appropriate and well-maintained indoor and outdoor physical environments. The environment includes facilities, equipment, and materials to facilitate child and staff learning and development.

A program that supports learning, health, and safety for both children and adults will provide an organized learning environment with all the necessary educational equipment and tools. Facilities are designed to allow for the monitoring and observation of children; they are appropriately furnished taking into consideration the children’s physical needs and include sinks, toilets, tables, chairs, shelves, sleeping mats, cribs, etc. A wide variety of necessary tools and learning materials will be available and will be age-appropriate. Items such as first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, and fire alarms will be appropriately stored, and personnel will be trained in their use.

The learning environment will be clean, hygienic, attractive, and visually stimulating; it will incorporate contact with nature and the exterior will be as well maintained as the interior. Outside play areas will be fenced in to protect the children from accidents and other hazards.

Standard 10: Leadership and Management

The program will effectively implement policies, procedures, and systems that support stable staff and strong personnel, fiscal, and program management so all children, families, and staff may have high-quality experiences. Excellent programming requires effective governing structures, competent and knowledgeable leadership, as well as comprehensive and well-functioning administrative policies, procedures, and systems.

The program director will be an effective administrator with the academic training necessary for this role, including a university degree and courses in early childhood education and development along with other related fields. Directors will be responsible for ensuring that all necessary permits and licenses have been obtained from the proper local authorities (i.e. occupancy permits, fire safety, health inspections, and others). All institutional policies and procedures will be available to families. As a leader, the director will work with educators to lay out and implement the program’s objectives, lesson plans, orientations, disciplinary framework, and other aspects of the program philosophy, as well as health, safety, and emergency policies. Student-teacher ratios will be respected, keeping with the following: infants will be divided into groups of no more than 8 with two teachers, small children into groups of no more than 12 with two teachers, and preschool-aged children into groups of no more than 20 with two teachers.

To learn more about the established criteria for each standard, visit the NAEYC website: www.naeyc.org/policy

Para conocer en más detalles sobre el proceso de acreditación, visite la página electrónica de la NAEYC, en http://www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/standardsintro

Esta información está basada en NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.