DETROIT — Two Early Childhood Centers located on Wayne State University’s campus have earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals. The NAEYC accreditation system was created to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs. Only 7,000 programs, or eight per cent of all preschools in the country, are currently accredited by NAEYC. In Detroit, only four preschools have been accredited and two of those are at Wayne State University.

“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 Anna Miller, executive director over both centers. “NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”

At a time of looming cutbacks to Head Start programs in Detroit, the ECCs offer top quality preschool with substantial tuition subsidies to families in need. About half of the centers’ preschoolers are children of Wayne State University students who receive free tuition through a grant called Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS). These parents must meet stringent academic and financial guidelines, including at least a 2.0 grade point average. Last year, two of the parents received Phi Beta Kappa honors with 3.9 GPAs.

“Without tuition help, these parents couldn’t stay in college,” said Ms. Miller. “With it, we can prepare their children for continued academic success and give parents the peace of mind to complete their degrees.”

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, the two Early Childhood Centers at Wayne State went through an extensive self-study process and a site visit by NAEYC assessors. ECC program and services were measured against 10 major standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. Both Early Childhood Centers scored 100% or above in 9 of the 10 standards, and 86% and 95% in the remaining standard. NAEYC accreditation is granted for five years.

“The NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D, executive director of NAEYC. “Earning NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that the Early Childhood Centers are leaders in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education.” The NAEYC Accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. The standards (last updated in 2006) reflect the latest research and best practices in early childhood education and development.