Photo: Associated Early Care and Education
Today we offer our monthly congratulations to the center- and school-based programs in Massachusetts that earned accreditation or reaccreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children in January.
To those who earned accreditation or reaccreditation, NAEYC offers a marketing and communications tip: Spread the word to your local newspaper or other media outlet. Accredited programs can find a news release template in their program record. It’s a great way to publicize your accomplishment and draw attention to the importance of high-quality early learning settings.
NAEYC accreditation is a widely accepted proxy for quality, and Massachusetts boasts more NAEYC-accredited programs than any other state in the country. Programs applying for state-funded Universal Pre-Kindergarten grants must be accredited by NAEYC or another recognized organization. The Department of Early Education and Care also includes accreditation in the standards for its newly launched  Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), which will assess program quality, provide incentives for programs to improve and offer valuable information for parents.
The rigorous NAEYC accreditation process measures 10 standards that range from curriculum to family engagement. Accredited programs use a research-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum that promotes children’s social, emotional, physical, language and cognitive growth. They support teachers’ professional development, promote children’s health and nutrition, use age-appropriate methods to assess children’s development and maintain collaborative relationships with parents and guardians.
Congratulations to the following 26 programs, which earned accreditation or reaccreditation in January:
Acton. Infant Toddler Children’s Center, KinderCare Learning Center
Amherst. Wildwood Kindergarten
Ashfield. Sanderson Academy Elementary School
Bedford. Bright Horizons at Crosby
Boston. Bright Horizons Family Center at Landmark, Commonwealth Children’s Center
Cambridge. Cambridge-Ellis School
Carver. Carver Public Schools Full-Day Kindergarten
Charlemont. Hawlemont Regional Elementary School
Chestnut Hill. Boston College Children’s Center
Easthampton. The Williston Northampton Children’s Center
Heath. Heath Elementary School
Holyoke. Beaudoin Village Early Education and Care, Churchill Early Education & Care Center
Lawrence. John Breen School
Leicester. Leicester Primary School
Methuen. Comprehensive Grammar School
New Bedford. Thomas R. Rodman School
North Adams. North Adams Public Schools kindergarten programs (three sites)
Shelburne. Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School
Springfield. Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start Carew Center
Sudbury. Bright Horizons at Sudbury
Watertown. Stepping Stones Child Care Center
Blessings to all NAEYC programs, those newly accredited and to those which maintain their accreditation through the Annual Report. It takes courage and commitment to pursue the best on behalf of the young children in our care. NAEYC accreditation is the best learning and teaching tool for early childhood community and for its children and families.