Accreditation
Information
The vision of the Connecticut Association for the Education of Young Children (CTAEYC) is that every young child in Connecticut will have access to the highest quality of care and education. CTAEYC’s parent organization, NAEYC strives to raise the quality of education for all children from birth through age eight. Accreditation systems are a major part of NAEYC’s efforts to improve early childhood education; they support programs as they provide the best learning experiences for young children and their educators by meeting national standards of quality.
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NAEYC maintains three types of accreditation. Click on each link to learn more:
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Accreditation of Programs for Young Children
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Since 1985, NAEYC’s national accreditation system has set professional standards for early childhood education programs, allowing families to find high-quality programs for their children.​
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OEC created AQIS as a quality improvement support for licensed child care centers, group homes, and license-exempt child care programs. It offers providers access to a team of staff with expertise in continuous program improvement using the NAEYC assessment items as the framework for growth.
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AQIS supports are open to all child care providers interested in quality improvement, whether or not the program is actively pursuing or maintaining NAEYC Accreditation. Best practices are good for everyone!
Accreditation of Associate Degree Programs
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NAEYC’s Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation awards accreditation to associate degree programs that meet Professional Preparation Standards for programs preparing early childhood educators.
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Recognition of Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Programs
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NAEYC also recognizes high-quality Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs, as part of a partnership with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
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NAFCC Accreditation
Our accreditation program servers as a cornerstone in a state professional development systems and informs policy makers. For professionals there are two paths, and many right ways to achieve accreditation!