NAEYC Accreditation: Good for Communities 

Collaborations for quality – Corporate support of early childhood accreditation

  • NAEYC-accredited programs offer high-quality learning experiences for young children.
  • NAEYC-accredited programs are staffed by highly-trained and knowledgeable teaching staff.
  • NAEYC-accredited programs have access to exciting educational materials and opportunities.

    • NAEYC-accredited programs represent a good investment in early childhood education.

    There are a number of successful strategies that businesses, community organizations, and foundations have used to help to improve quality in programs and schools by supporting early childhood accreditation. Some have assisted NAEYC in assuring the supply of community-based mentors and validators by supporting the Academy’s training efforts. Others–individually or as a part of a community partnership–have chosen to support programs seeking accreditation by providing direct or in-kind funding to help them meet the full costs of providing a high-quality program and/or by meeting the costs incurred while seeking accreditation.

    Individual programs vary greatly in the areas and degree of improvement needed to achieve high quality. Accreditation experience suggests a number of areas where corporate support can be most useful:

  • Funds for scholarships or financial assistance for staff to pursue additional education and training.
  • Funds to assist programs to make facility improvements or purchase equipment.
  • Contributions to assist programs in obtaining the materials necessary to provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum.
  • Funding to allow programs to provide adequate salaries and benefits for staff.
  • Scholarship funds to cover accreditation fees.
  • In-kind support of technical assistance or resources to assist in financial management, human resource management, and/or other areas of program administration.
  • Inclusion of program personnel in corporate benefits plans.
  • Use of NAEYC’s accreditation Criteria to establish an on-site or consortium child care program.