Photo: Associated Early Care and Education
Today we congratulate the center- and school-based early education programs in Massachusetts that earned accreditation or reaccreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children since July 15.
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.The Department of Early Education and Care includes accreditation in the standards for the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), designed to 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 19 programs that earned accreditation or reaccreditation since July 15:
Bernardston. Bernardston Elementary School
Boston. Bright Horizons at One Financial Center, Bright Horizons at 125 Summer Street, Baldwin Early Learning Center (Brighton)
Cambridge. Associated Early Care and Education Central School
Canton. Cole Harrington Early Learning Center
Chicopee. Holyoke Chicopee Head Start
Concord. Concord Children’s Center
Dedham. Dedham Community Preschool
Fitchburg. MOC Child Care & Head Start Services
Leyden. Bernardston Elementary School
Melrose. Melrose YMCA Children’s Center
New Bedford. Little People’s College
Norton. Nourse Elementary School Kindergarten and Project Early
Pittsfield. Berkshire Children and Families
Salem. Salem Community Child Care
Sharon. Gilson JCC Early Learning Center
Taunton. Mulcahey Elementary School
Westport. Alice A. Macomber Primary School
Eye on Early Education focuses on the twin goals of ensuring that Massachusetts children have access to high-quality early education and become proficient readers by the end of third grade.
