NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children. Since 1985, NAEYC has offered a national accreditation system to set professional standards for early childhood education programs. Today, the accreditation system helps families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers, kindergartens, and other early childhood programs.

The Purpose of NAEYC Accreditation

NAEYC accreditation serves multiple purposes within the early childhood education field. It provides a framework for continuous quality improvement, gives families a reliable marker of excellence, and helps programs maintain accountability to the children and families they serve. The accreditation system is grounded in research about what promotes positive outcomes for children.

Programs seeking accreditation undergo a thorough self-study process, an on-site visit by NAEYC-trained assessors, and a final review by NAEYC's commission. This rigorous process ensures that accredited programs truly meet the high standards set by NAEYC.

The 10 NAEYC Accreditation Standards

NAEYC accreditation is based on 10 research-based quality standards. These standards work together to define high-quality early childhood education:

1. Relationships - Promotes positive relationships among adults and children
2. Curriculum - Implements a curriculum that promotes learning and development
3. Teaching - Uses developmentally appropriate teaching approaches
4. Assessment of Child Progress - Assesses children's learning and development
5. Health - Promotes children's physical health
6. Staff Competencies, Preparation, and Support - Employs qualified teaching staff
7. Families - Establishes collaborative relationships with families
8. Community Relationships - Establishes relationships with and uses community resources
9. Physical Environment - Provides a safe, healthy physical environment
10. Leadership and Management - Implements program leadership that supports quality

Detailed Standards and Assessment Items

Standard 1: Relationships

Programs must foster positive relationships between children and adults. Assessment items include evidence that teachers consistently interact with children in warm, respectful ways; help children resolve conflicts positively; and respond sensitively to children's needs. The program must also promote relationships among children and between teachers and families.

Standard 2: Curriculum

The curriculum must be comprehensive and address all developmental domains. Assessment items ensure that programs have a written curriculum framework that supports learning in these areas: social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive. The curriculum should be developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and based on research and child development theory.

Standard 3: Teaching

Teachers must use intentional, developmentally appropriate teaching strategies. Assessment items include demonstrating how teachers adapt their approaches based on children's individual needs, engage in meaningful conversations with children, and provide ample opportunities for child-directed play and exploration.

Standard 4: Assessment of Child Progress

Programs must implement systematic assessment of children's learning and development. Assessment items include documentation that teachers use ongoing, varied observations and documentation to understand children's progress. This assessment information should be used to plan instruction and communicate with families about children's development.

Standard 5: Health

Programs must protect and promote children's health. Assessment items cover many health-related policies and practices, including proper hand washing, safe sleep practices for infants, appropriate nutrition, and emergency procedures. The program must also have clear illness policies and ensure that staff are trained to recognize and respond to illnesses appropriately.

Standard 6: Staff Competencies, Preparation, and Support

Programs must employ and support well-qualified staff. Assessment items verify that teachers have relevant educational qualifications and training. The program must provide ongoing professional development opportunities and implement supervision and evaluation practices that support staff growth and development.

Standard 7: Families

Programs must establish and maintain collaborative relationships with families. Assessment items include evidence that programs communicate regularly with families, provide opportunities for family involvement, and respect families' cultural beliefs and values. Programs should partner with families in supporting their children's learning and development.

Standard 8: Community Relationships

Programs must establish relationships with and use community resources. Assessment items examine how programs connect with community services and resources that benefit children and families. Programs should also help children understand their community and provide opportunities for community engagement.

Standard 9: Physical Environment

Programs must provide a safe and healthy physical environment. Assessment items cover aspects of both indoor and outdoor spaces, including appropriate space allocation, accessible and age-appropriate materials, safety measures, and environmental design that supports various types of learning. The environment should be organized and maintained to support children's engagement and learning.

Standard 10: Leadership and Management

Programs must have effective leadership and management. Assessment items include evidence of a clear organizational structure, thoughtful policies and procedures, responsible fiscal management, and program evaluation practices. The administrator should provide program vision, support staff, and foster program quality.

The Assessment Process

The assessment process for NAEYC accreditation is thorough and multi-faceted. It includes:

• Self-Study: Programs conduct an in-depth assessment of their practices against the standards and assessment items.
• Documentation Submission: Programs compile and submit evidence of meeting the standards, including program policies, artifacts, and analysis of their practices.
• Site Visit: NAEYC-trained assessors visit the program to observe classroom practices, verify documentation, and conduct interviews with staff and families.
• Commission Decision: NAEYC's Accreditation Commission reviews all materials to make an accreditation decision.

Assessment Method	Purpose
Classroom Observation	Evaluate implementation of standards in daily practices
Document Review	Verify program policies and administrative practices
Staff Interviews	Assess understanding and implementation of standards
Family Interviews	Evaluate family engagement and communication

Benefits of NAEYC Accreditation

For programs, NAEYC accreditation provides a framework for continuous quality improvement, increases accountability, and often leads to improved staff morale and retention. Accredited programs may also benefit from higher enrollment, as families actively seek accredited programs.

For families, NAEYC accreditation provides assurance that a program meets high standards for early childhood education. Families can trust that accredited programs are committed to providing safe, nurturing, and educational experiences for their children.

Most importantly, for children, NAEYC-accredited programs provide learning environments and experiences that support optimal development during the critical early years. Research consistently shows that high-quality early childhood experiences, like those found in NAEYC-accredited programs, have positive long-term effects on children's success in school and beyond.

The NAEYC accreditation system continues to evolve based on research and feedback from the field. Current standards and assessment items represent the knowledge of what constitutes high-quality early childhood education and provide a roadmap for programs committed to excellence.

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