For Immediate Release:
May 15, 2017
 

Four Programs Earn NAEYC Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs; Four Programs Receive Renewed Accreditation 

WASHINGTON, DC — The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs is pleased to announce that it has granted first-time accreditation to early childhood degree programs at four institutions of higher education. In addition, the Commission voted to renew accreditation for programs at four institutions. This brings the total number of institutions with accredited programs to 181, with nearly 70 additional degree programs currently engaged in the self-study process.
 
“Earning accreditation is both an honor and a professional challenge that these programs should be proud to have accomplished,” said Katherine Allen, Chair of the NAEYC Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs. 
 
 “The Commission is thrilled to see the growth of the accreditation system across the United States, signaling a strong commitment from the field to providing high quality preparation to current and future early childhood professionals,” Ms. Allen added. With Highline Community College becoming the first institution in Washington state with an NAEYC-Accredited program, there are now accredited programs in 35 states throughout the country. 
 
The NAEYC Higher Education Accreditation system raises the quality of teacher education by establishing professional preparation standards, which in turn raises the quality of early learning programs serving young children.

To earn and retain accreditation, professional preparation programs must demonstrate that they:

• Align to NAEYC’s Professional Preparation Standards
• Respond to the unique needs of their degree candidates and communities 
• Provide intentional learning experiences for their degree candidates to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to be effective early childhood educators
• Continuously assess and reflect on their degree candidates’ performance  

The newly accredited degree programs are: 

Brookhaven College, Texas
A.A.S. Child Development/Early Childhood 
 
Calhoun Community College, Alabama
A.A.S. Child Development 
 
Highline Community College, Washington
A.A.S. Early Childhood Education 
 
Roanoke-Chowan Community College, North Carolina 
A.A.S. Early Childhood Education 
 
The degree programs whose accreditation has been renewed are:
 
Charles Stewart Mott Community College, Michigan
A.A.S. Early Childhood Education 
 
Houston Community College, Texas
A.A.S. Child Development 
 
Manchester Community College, New Hampshire
A.A.S. Early Childhood Education 
 
Onondaga Community College, New York
A.A.S. Early Childhood 
 
For more information, visit the NAEYC Early Childhood Higher Education Accreditation system website. 
 
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.