For more information, contact:
Kristina Gawrgy
202-350-8857
kgawrgy@naeyc.org
For Immediate Release:
August 1, 2008
Twelve Colleges Earn NAEYC Early Childhood
Associate Degree Accreditation
National Program Sets Standard of Excellence in Early Childhood Teacher Education
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation has granted accreditation to twelve additional associate degree programs, bringing the total accredited programs to 51 since 2006.
The accreditation system establishes professional preparation standards to raise the quality of teacher education, and in turn raise the quality of early childhood education programs serving young children.
“Teacher quality is a crucial component in providing high-quality early childhood education to millions of children across the country,” said Alison Lutton, NAEYC. “Accredited associate degree programs provide access the profession and a strong foundation for the diverse pool of early childhood teachers that we need in the field.”
The newly accredited associate degree programs include:
- Alabama-Jefferson State Community College
- Indiana- Ivy Tech Community College-Lafayette
- Kentucky-Henderson Community College
- Massachusetts- Massasoit Community College, Mass Bay Community College, North Shore Community College, and Quinsigamond Community College
- Michigan – Grand Rapids Community College
- Nebraska – Metropolitan Community College
- New York – Agricultural and Technical College at Cobleskill (SUNY), Cayuga Community College, and Schenectady County Community College
Federal Head Start regulations call for an associate’s degree or higher for teachers, and many states include early childhood associate degrees in their Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for child care and preschool programs. NAEYC’s professional standards for early childhood degree programs provide a high measure of quality by which programs can be evaluated.
For more information on NAEYC ECADA system, visit www.naeyc.org/faculty/asdeg.asp
Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has nearly 90,000 members worldwide. The association is the largest and most influential advocate for early care and education in the United States.
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Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest and most influential advocate for high-quality early care and education in the United States.
