Q1:  How can a program access the Candidacy Materials that it has been assigned?

Candidacy Materials are made available to programs through the Program Record eight weeks prior to the program’s Candidacy due date.  The primary and secondary contacts listed for the program will receive notification to download Candidacy Materials as soon as they are available through the Program Record.

Q2:  Can programs access the Candidacy Materials assigned to them earlier than eight weeks prior to the Candidacy due date?   

No.  The Candidacy Materials assigned to a program will not be made available to programs before they are posted on the Program Record eight weeks prior to the program’s Candidacy due date.  Programs may review a SAMPLE of the Candidacy Materials to prepare to complete the Candidacy Materials assigned to their program eight weeks prior to their Candidacy due date.  

Although programs may not access the Candidacy Materials assigned to them earlier than eight weeks prior to the Candidacy due date, they should prepare to complete the Candidacy Materials by completing Self-Assessment and gathering documentation of the program administrator and teaching staff's qualifications to prove that Candidacy Requirements are met.

Q3: When will a program receive its Candidacy decision? 

The Candidacy decision will occur within six months of a program’s Candidacy due date.  Candidacy Materials are reviewed on a rolling basis, so some programs may receive Candidacy decisions early in the six-month window while others may receive their Candidacy decision later.  The NAEYC Academy is committed to providing a site visit to all programs that are accepted as Candidates within this same six-month window following the Candidacy due date.  Therefore, all Candidacy decisions will be made with ample time left in the six-month window to schedule and conduct a site visit.

Q4:  What happens if a program does not submit their Candidacy Materials and/or fee by the Candidacy due date?   

A program will be withdrawn as an Applicant for NAEYC Accreditation if its Candidacy Materials and fee are not submitted to the NAEYC Academy and postmarked on or before the Candidacy due date the program selected in its Application.  The application fee is non-refundable.  Read more about Cancellations and Withdrawals.

Q5: What happens if a program has staffing changes after they are accepted as a Candidate?

Changes in the designated program administrator and/or teaching staff that have occurred since the submission of Candidacy Materials can be submitted with the Fax Cover Sheet: Staff Changes Reported Prior to the Site Visit.  Changes to staff that effect a program’s ability to meet eligibility or Candidacy Requirements may compromise the program’s accreditation and/or the site visit.

Q6:  If a program submits Candidacy Materials according to the timeline for currently accredited programs and is denied Candidacy, will its accreditation be automatically extended until the decisions process is complete?

If a program

• submits Candidacy Materials according to the timeline for currently accredited programs, AND
• is denied Candidacy based on a failure to meet program administrator or teaching staff educational qualifications, AND
• chooses the option to resubmit Candidacy Materials on the next available Candidacy due date,

its accreditation will be automatically extended until a second decision process is complete.

Q7:  Can the Candidacy Materials be faxed or submitted online?  

NAEYC requires that the Candidacy Materials and full payment be submitted to NAEYC by mail to the appropriate post office box.  Candidacy Materials submitted via fax or email will not be accepted at this time.
NAEYC accepts the postmark date of the Candidacy Materials as the submission date.  NAEYC recommends that programs obtain written confirmation of receipt of all forms sent to NAEYC P.O. Boxes.  Please discuss tracking options with your local Post Office.  NAEYC is not able to sign for materials that are delivered to a P.O. Box by an individual courier such as UPS or FedEx. 

If your questions are not addressed on this website, reference the FAQ Master Document or contact Accreditation Program Support for assistance.