NAEYC Criteria Review

One of the hallmarks of NAEYC Accreditation is its focus on continuous quality improvement. We expect it of programs that earn the torch-- the mark of NAEYC Accreditation and we expect it of ourselves as well.  The NAEYC Academy seeks feedback from programs and other interested parties with the goal of refining the criteria to better assess elements of quality practice. This long-term strategy is to seek feedback on specific criteria associated with each program standard to be considered in potential revisions, additions, or deletions based on new evidence from research. 

Read more about the Criteria Review Process in an article from the November 2009 issue of Young Children.

2010 Criteria Review Results

The 2010 Criteria Review was the first major review of the accreditation process and criteria since the reinvented NAEYC Accreditation system was formally launched in 2006. Refer to the following resources for detailed information about the 2010 Criteria Review and to learn how the results have strengthened, and will continue to improve, the NAEYC Accreditation system.

• Strength and Momentum: Continuous Quality Improvement and the NAEYC Academy—this e-brochure includes highlights of the results of the 2010 Criteria Review and summarizes the future direction of the NAEYC Academy.
• Lessons Learned and a Vision for Continued Success: 2010 NAEYC Criteria Review Summary and Recommendations for Next Steps—this report provides a detailed summary of key findings from the 2010 Criteria Review.
• 2011 Mid-Year Review–Accomplishments —read about the interim improvements NAEYC has recently made to the accreditation system as a result of the 2010 Criteria Review.

Submitting Feedback on the NAEYC Accreditation Criteria

NAEYC gathers feedback on all criteria through TORCH. Simply log in to TORCH and click on "Criteria Feedback" in the TORCH menu.  The feedback gathered through TORCH will be used to inform all formal reviews of criteria.