The process to become a National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited program is underway at Rice Children’s Campus! We are in Self-Study which is the first step of the process. The four step process includes: Self-Study, Self-Assessment, Candidacy, and Meeting the Standard. Generally, it will take us between 9 and 12 months to complete the program.

A Commitment to Excellence: The National Academy of Early Childhood Programs administers a national, voluntary, professionally sponsored accreditation system for all types of preschools, kindergartens, childcare centers and daycares serving young children. The Academy is a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the largest organization of early childhood educators. NAEYC accreditation shows a program’s commitment to excellence. Today almost 260 programs in Texas and over 6000 programs nationally have achieved NAEYC accreditation while many more are in process.

The accreditation process requires that a school examine the total program with emphasis placed on the quality of interactions among staff and children, staff and families, and the developmental appropriateness of the curriculum—how are the children learning and growing. Health and safety, staffing, physical environment, staff qualifications, and administration are all reviewed but making sure that each child has a positive experience is the ultimate goal.

We will be calling on families and staff to help us review our programs. A parent survey asking specific questions about the teachers, the administration, and the classrooms will be administered very soon. The teachers having completed self assessments and professional development plans will complete their own surveys in the next few weeks.