UW-Whitewater Children's Center earns national accreditation
Released: December 7, 2007
Parents only want the best for their children. So why not send them to the best child center facilities? The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Children's Center is one of the first programs in the country to earn the mark of quality represented by the national NAEYC Accreditation system.
N.A.E.Y.C. stands for National Association for the Education of Young Children and represents the mark of quality in early childhood education. To achieve NAEYC Accreditation, early childhood education programs volunteer to be measured against the most robust and rigorous national standards on education, health and safety.
"We're proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said Cigdem Unal, director of the children's center.
To achieve NAEYC Accreditation, a program must meet all required criteria and meet at least 80 percent of the criteria on which it is assessed for each program standard.
For curriculum and physical environment, the UW-Whitewater Children's Center earned a high 88 percent on a 100 percent scale and the following categories placed in the 100 percent or 100 plus percent range: relationships, teaching, assessment of child progress, health, teachers, families, community relationships and leadership and management.
In the 20 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 11,000 programs, serving one million young children, are currently accredited by NAEYC which is approximately 8 percent of all preschools and early childhood programs.
Though the UW-Whitewater's Children's Center received NAEYC Accreditation granted Nov. 30, 2007 valid until Nov. 30, 2012, its hard work will not cease. Associate Executive Director of NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation, Kimberly McClennahan Means said, "Now that you have achieved this mark of quality, we look forward to continuing work with you throughout your accreditation term in a process of continuous improvement."
Mark Ginsberg, executive director of NAEYC added, "The new Accreditation system raises the bar for preschools, childcare centers and other early childhood programs. The UW-Whitewater Children's Center's NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that they are a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education and to help give all children a better start."
For more information about the NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation, visit: www.naeyc.org/accreditation or www.rightchoiceforkids.org.
- Regina Shirkey,shirkeyrm26@uww.edu
