The number of nationally accredited preschools, child-care centers, and other early-childhood-education programs has grown by almost 15 percent over the past year and has more than tripled since 1993.
Read more about NAEYC’s guidelines and data on preschool accreditation.
Currently, 9,273 programs are accredited by the Washington-based National Association for the Education of Young Children, compared with 8,069 last year.
“Early-childhood educators, families, employers, and many others now know that high-quality child care and preschool programs make a crucial and positive difference for young children,” said Mark Ginsberg, the executive director of the organization, which just held its annual conference in Anaheim, Calif.
The growth in accredited programs comes as the association begins carrying out changes to its accreditation system, including requiring annual reports, conducting unannounced visits, and granting five-year accreditations. Most changes will go into effect in January.
