April 25, 2024
NAEYC strives to raise the quality of education for all children from birth through age eight. Accreditation systems are a major part of NAEYC's efforts to improve early childhood education; they allow programs to provide the best learning experiences for young children and their educators by meeting national standards of quality. To learn more about NAEYC’s accreditation systems, visit the NAEYC website.
About NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs
Accreditation of Early Learning Programs
Since 1985, NAEYC's national accreditation system has set professional standards for early childhood education programs, allowing families to find high-quality programs for their children.Using a set of research-based program standards, NAEYC Accreditation collaborates with early education centers to recognize great work already under way as well as understanding and addressing areas that need improvement. To learn more about NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs, visit the NAEYC website.
Accreditation of Higher Education Programs
NAEYC awards accreditation to associate, baccalaureate, and master's degree programs that meet the NAEYC Professional Preparation Standards for programs preparing early childhood educators.
Recognition of Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Programs
NAEYC also recognizes high-quality baccalaureate and graduate programs, as part of a partnership with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Revisions to the NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items were approved by the Council on the Accreditation of Early Learning Programs in January 2018. All site visits occurring after July 1, 2018 will be assessed using the NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items unless otherwise noted. To learn more about the transition transition go to this Information
NAEYC maintains a list of programs that are currently accredited to assist individuals in finding NAEYC-accredited programs in their area. This list is updated with new accreditation decisions every Friday. https://families.naeyc.org/search_programs/results/0/MO/0/50/0/0/0/us/0