CDC receives national NAEYC accreditation

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  • By 341st Force Support Squadron marketing staff
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Program Among First in Nation to Complete More Rigorous Accreditation Process

The Malmstrom Child Development Center is one of the first early childhood programs to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or NAEYC, the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals.

"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 Susan Ritter, Chief Child Development Center/Force Support Squadron. "NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible."

To earn NAEYC accreditation in the new system, Malmstrom's CDC went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the 10 new NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. The program received NAEYC accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the 10 NAEYC program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.

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 - approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs.

"The new NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for preschools, child care centers and other early childhood programs," said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. "Malmstrom's Child Development Center 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."