Mission
Membership
Accreditation

About: Accreditation

In 1985, NAEYC established its accreditation system to raise the quality of early childhood education and help families and others identify high-quality early care and educational programs. To earn accreditation, programs voluntarily comply with national standards of quality that go well beyond state health and safety licensing requirements. Criteria address all aspects of an early childhood education program, including:

• positive relationships for all children and adults
• curriculum that fosters cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social child development
• effective teaching approaches that are developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate
• ongoing assessments of children’s development and learning
• nutrition and health
• teaching staff and administrator’s qualifications
• safe and healthy physical environment
• community resources to support achievement of program goals

A Salute to Accredited Programs in Southern NJ

NJAEYC Southern would like to acknowledge the following centers and family child care providers for the consistently high quality of care they have demonstrated they provide to our youngest learners.

Everything You Want to Know About Accreditation but You Were Afraid to Ask

• Do you think that you work in a “high quality” child care program?
• Are you proud of the early care and learning experiences that you provide to the children and families that you serve?
• Do you work in an accredited program now?
• Are you familiar with NAEYC accreditation?
• Would you like to learn of the benefits and supports of being nationally accredited?

Why isn’t your program accredited?

In a recent article of Young Children’s journal, Cheryl Devine, Director of Rutgers-Livingston Day Care Center in Piscataway, NJ reflected about the 25 years the program has sustained NAEYC accreditation. Cheryl states that she “understands the enormous impact NAEYC’s accreditation process has made on her program and the quality of the experiences offered to the center’s children and their families”.

The NJ Accreditation Facilitation Project (AFP) at Professional Impact NJ’s goal is to promote and increase the number of accredited child care programs in New Jersey.  AFP provides resources and support to community-based programs interested in achieving “first-time” accreditation through approved systems such as NAEYC.

Who Benefits from Accreditation?

• Children   
• Families    
• Program and staff
• Community
• NJ accredited programs that qualify for DFD funding, receive a 5% increase

Why is Accreditation Important?

Research supports that pursuing accreditation yields “intentional” efforts towards “high quality” early childhood programs. New Jersey wants what is best for children and families. Children in accredited programs are safe, healthy, and learning each day.

How does Professional Impact NJ Support Programs?

• Financial incentives up to $2000 per program that registers with the AFP
• Information and resources
• Mentorship

How does NAEYC Support Programs?

• TORCH is an online community that offers tools and resources to assist early childhood program staff and others committed to building a high quality experience for young children from birth through kindergarten. Use this site and the included resources as you work to achieve NAEYC Accreditation -- the mark of quality in programs for young children. 
• Scholarship funds are available for programs with initial and re-accreditation
• Accreditation E-Updates

If you are currently accredited, would you like to earn a stipend and mentor other programs in becoming accredited?

To learn more about NAEYC accreditation visit www.naeyc.org or Professional Impact NJ’s website at www.pinj.org. Or contact Theresa Caputo, NJAEYC Southern Accreditation Chair at 856.374.5094 or caputot@kean.edu for more information.